


Pokemon Mage Ruby

by Ysavvryl



Category: Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Disabled Character, Gen, Glitches and Hacking, Original Player Characters, Pokemon Journey, Starter Pokemon as Guardian Spirits, humans with magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 04:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 136,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5771686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysavvryl/pseuds/Ysavvryl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Pokémon Trainers weren't only directing their Pokémon in battle, but also participating in the battles with magic?</p><p>Kiri's father Norman has recently become a new Gym Leader in Hoenn, leading the whole family to move there right as she becomes eligible to attempt summoning a Pokémon Guardian to become a wizard.  She is restricted to a wheelchair, but that's not going to stop her from making her own journey to earn the Gym badges of Hoenn.  Although, one of her new friends has picked up a particularly strange Guardian that calls itself Missingno.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Applications

**Author's Note:**

> This story was posted on Serebii's forums around 2008-09 and is one of my earliest Pokemon chaptered fanfics. It's the first journey-fic I've done for the fandom and that shows at points. I'm posting this with limited edits, so the quality is not on the same level as current fics. Although I love reading comments on such stories anyhow. And all the notes are from 2012! So yeah, old story up for archiving a second time.

_Name:_ Kiri Brown  
_Age:_ 16  
_Trainer ID_ : 014189  
_Hometown:_ Petalburg

_Please attach proof of license, most recent school report, and referral form B to this application._

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

_What is the purpose of the Pokemon Wizards?_ -To protect others and to monitor the magic of the world.

_How should a Wizard treat a Trainer?_ -With respect; they're only a Wizard because a Guardian spirit came to them.

_Why do you want to become a Pokemon Mage?_ -My father is a Pokemon Wizard, so I'd like to follow in his footsteps. But that's only one reason. Several years ago, I was attacked by a wild Gyarados. I want to protect others from this sort of accident since I was lucky enough to survive.

* * *

Kiri looked over the application, then stapled the other documents to it. In order to become a Wizard, she had to be a Mage. In order to become a Mage, she had to be approved by the League's Grand Wizard, Birch. He would want proof that the applicants had passed the standard Trainer's tests with high scores, to show they knew how to properly take care of Pokemon. He also needed proof of good character, thus the need for a reference. Although there were other hurdles to clear, it was best that this initial step was done right.

She placed the application in an envelope, then put that in her lap. Pushing away from her desk, she turned her red wheelchair around and left her room. She was paralyzed below her waist due to the Gyarados attack. But she never let that stop her from doing what she wanted. Dad would be disappointed if it did.

Careful not to roll over the sleeping Slaking in the living room, Kiri left her house. The sky was mellow with evening colors, murky blues and growing blacks. Lights were starting to turn on around Petalburg, casting a rippling shine on the town's two ponds. The ever-curious Marills poked their heads out of the water to see what the growing fuss was about. There was an awful lot of teenagers gathered in the town square. The day to apply was drawing to a close.

* * *

_Name:_ Wally Chesterfield  
_Age:_ 17  
_Trainer ID_ : 332910  
_Hometown:_ Petalburg

_Please attach proof of license, most recent school report, and referral form B to this application._

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

What is the purpose of the Pokemon Wizards?

-To keep peace between Pokemon and people.

_How should a Wizard treat a Trainer?_ -Assist Trainers who ask for help or don't understand their Pokemon.

_Why do you want to become a Pokemon Mage?_ -I want to be able to truly understand Pokemon and know how they feel about battling and living with people. I know this is a rare power even among magic users, but I hope I have what it takes.

* * *

Wally's stomach squirmed like he had Wurmples inside. Should he write more? Was that good enough? He wasn't even sure if he wanted to hand in this application. The job of a Pokemon Wizard had a lot of responsibility. He knew this because both of his parents were Wizards. His father had earned seven badges as a Mage; his mother earned eight and beat the Elite 4, only to be defeated by the reigning Magic Champion. They were both excited about Wally finally turning in an application.

Anyone from thirteen to eighteen years old could apply to become a Pokemon Mage. He put off applying until he was fifteen, then caught mono. At sixteen, he was still weakened by the drawn out disease. Now that his doctor had approved of his health, he was applying for the first time.

While his parents were looking forward to this, he wasn't. Wally didn't know if he could make a journey; he'd never walked for long distances before. He wasn't sure about going to an advanced school either. If any contagious disease passed through Petalburg, he always got sick from it, so an advanced school with dorms would be awful. In fact, he had no idea what to do now that he had graduated mandatory school.

After twirling his pale green hair around his fingers for a few minutes, thinking, he put the required documents in the envelope and sealed it. The hushed hum of enchanted gems accompanied his slow footsteps; they were filtering the air from possible allergens and germs. His father had been called away earlier to deal with a problematic Pokecenter, but his mother was sitting in the living room reading a newspaper. "Um, okay mom, I've got all the papers filled out," he said.

She pulled the paper back a little to smile at him. "Good. Now hurry along so you can turn them in with the others."

"R-right. I'll be back in a bit." He left his house and went to the grassy town square by the large pond.

Petalburg was often described as a quaint country town with many elegant gardens. The soil was rich, letting any plant flourish. As no one had imposed any orderliness on the town, the buildings were clustered together in where they fit best. Grassy lots littered with wildflowers sat in between these clusters. The main draw to outsiders was the Gym and that license had nearly left town. When the last Leader retired, most people in Hoenn thought Lilycove would get League approval instead. Fortunately, the man who was picked as the new Leader preferred Petalburg.

There was a crowd of teenagers at the largest grassy lot, all hoping to become a Mage tomorrow. 'I bet they don't realize how much work it is,' he thought.

"Hey, scrawny," one of the local boys called. "There's zero chance of you being picked, so forget about it." A boy by him laughed.

"He can apply if he wants to," Kiri said firmly, appearing without warning. "Now apologize or I'll run over your foot."

"I'm just telling the truth," the boy excused, but he made the mistake of looking down to see her glaring at him. "Sheesh, fine. Sorry Wally." He turned to his friend and added, "Let's leave Greenie and Little Miss Sunshine behind."

Wally smiled a bit. It was a mistake to call Kiri helpless, even though she had to get around in a wheelchair. She had strong arms, which some of the guys had learned in trying to tease her. "Thanks Kiri, even if I was just going to ignore him."

She rolled up to him. "No problem. Can't let them make fun of my friends. Anyhow, I'm so excited! I wanted to apply in Johto right as soon as I became thirteen, but Dad said to wait until I knew some more."

"Where is your Dad?"

"I was just looking for him. He's probably down over there." She pointed to a tent with Chinese lanterns hanging from it.

Before reaching that tent, however, Wally ran into another familiar face.

* * *

_Name_ : Vincent Starmie  
_Age_ : 14  
_Trainer ID:_ 115932  
_Hometown_ : Lilycove

_Please attach proof of license, most recent school report, and referral form B to this application._

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

What is the purpose of the Pokemon Wizards?

-To act as moderators between people and Pokemon and to protect others in times of danger.

_How should a Wizard treat a Trainer?_ -Since a Wizard is essentially a Trainer as well, with equality and integrity

_Why do you want to become a Pokemon Mage?_ -I wish to learn all about Pokemon: their natural habits, their lifestyles, their magic, their psychology, and their language.

* * *

It had to be right; it had to be accepted. Thinking over his application, filled out weeks ago, he tried to find any flaws. Vincent had picked every word and idea carefully to guarantee his being chosen tomorrow morning. He'd spent time researching the current Grand Wizard, Birch, and figuring out what he would most want to hear. For if he gave someone what they wanted to hear, he would always get what he wanted.

Except when it came to girls, he thought dismally. Vincent looked over his neighbors from Lilycove. The girls were all beautiful: tan from the beaches, dressed to the current fashion, and fit enough to be models. How could they do that, he often wondered. It seemed effortless on their part.

But he was a nerd and the label cursed him. No matter what he did, he grew into it: pale indoors skin, stringy brown hair, no aptitude for physical activities. Even his glasses. He tried to pick out something cool and wound up with blocky green frames that earned him the nickname Bug Face. How was someone named Bug Face supposed to get a girlfriend?

However, if he became a Mage, they would have to respect him. And why would they not choose him? He had the highest test scores of graduating seniors and he was only fourteen. He had the top scores for the Trainer's test as well. He just had to pass this little bit of formality and leave everything up to the immortals.

Which was something he didn't really like.

"Vincent!" a happy voice called. "Hi, good to see that you came."

He did smile at this old friend. "Hi Wally. I meant to come by after I dropped my application off." He noticed that the lavender-haired girl in a wheelchair was with him. She was cute, but not really outstanding like the Lilycove girls. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is my new friend, Kiri. She moved in five months ago. Kiri, this is Vincent; we've been friends for years, but then his family moved to Lilycove."

Kiri smiled. "Hi there Vincent." She offered a hand, so he shook it. "Isn't that city far off? Why'd you come here?"

He looked over the crowd of teenagers. Teresa was nearby, Vincent noticed. Beautiful Teresa, who owned a stunning red bikini... and she hardly ever noticed him. Partly to ignore that, he answered Kiri's question. "Lilycove is the largest city in all of Hoenn, but we currently don't have a Gym. Since the applications have to be passed on by Gym Leaders, we have to come to other places. And since there's so many kids in Lilycove, some of us get sent as far as Rustboro. Anyhow, I asked to come here so I can see Wally again."

His old friend smiled. "Yeah, we've been writing letters for years. It's really good to see you again."

"Real good. So is Rei really gone? I heard there was a new Gym Leader here, but I can't seem to find him."

"Yeah, he had to retire after his heart attack. The new leader is Norman, Kiri's dad."

"There he is!" Kiri said in delight, heading off to a nearby bench.

Norman was organizing the dozens of applications he already had. A second Slaking of his was dozing off nearby, snoring softly. And his Guardian Pokemon, the one he had started as a Mage with, was sitting on the bench too. The icy blue Glaceon pricked her ears up when they came. She hopped off to get a pat from Kiri, who happily obliged.

Norman had to be a Master Wizard to be named a Leader, but one couldn't tell by looking at him. He had thinning black hair, lavender eyes, and the look of an average man. He dressed ordinarily too, in red sweatpants and a brown t-shirt. However, his appearance had to be a trick. An ordinary man couldn't become a Gym Leader.

"Right on time," Norman told the three teens. "Are your applications complete, with everything you need?"

"Yes sir," Vincent said, handing over his envelope first. He nervously pushed his hated bug green glasses back. "I spent hours getting everything just right."

"Hours?" Kiri asked, handing in hers next. "It was just three questions."

"But it's three very important questions. If you don't get them right, you won't be called on."

"There's no absolute right to those application questions," Norman pointed out. "And I doubt most people would give the 'wrong' answers."

Wally handed his in last. "So we'll hear tomorrow morning if we made it to the choosing?"

Norman nodded. "Right, tomorrow morning I'll have word of who goes. There, you will have to pass other tests to be accepted as a Mage. These tests are either pass or fail, so there's nothing you can do to prepare. But don't worry. If you're meant to be a Mage, you'll become a Mage."

"Magic won't deny what you deserve," Kiri told Wally. "It'll give you just what you need."

He looked down at the ground meekly. "I suppose it does."

"But you can tweak things just right so that you get what you want too," Vincent added. "At least, I hope so. I've been studying about how individual Pokemon differ, and I figure if I just got the right one..." he closed his eyes and mumbled some idea he was working through.

"Every person and every Pokemon has potential to shine," Norman said. "You just need to find your own way. Now, let's send these applications off." He gathered some magic in his hands and passed them on to the envelopes. A wing symbol appeared where he enchanted them. "Time to fly, letters. Go to Grand Wizard Birch."

A sparkling tan aura appeared around the applications. They floated off the Leader's hand. After pulling them back, he made a motion of flinging them into the sky. The envelopes took to the air in a flash, seeking out their recipient.

Kiri tried to watch them, but her father's magic worked too fast. And now to wait. "I dunno if I can sleep tonight. I want it to be tomorrow already!"

Norman laughed and messed up her hair. "A little eager, aren't we sport? Be patient. The time will come. And you'd best get a good night's sleep. It could be a big day for all of you tomorrow."

Reluctantly, they all went back to their homes to wait.

* * *

Birch was an old friend of Norman, and one of the reasons he'd gotten called out of Johto to be a Gym Leader in Hoenn. He had offered them a large and accommodating home in Littleroot, but Norman would have none of that. He wanted his family nearby. Thus, they were in this old home, red and orange like all the others in Petalburg. It needed many renovations to be handicapped accessible, but they had done such things before.

"Did Kiri come back?" Norman asked as he and Laura came in the door.

His wife Samantha was sitting on the couch, reading. "No, she went over to Wally's house for a little while. At least we know that Bethany won't let them stay up too late."

"Yeah." He sat down by her. Laura hopped up on the couch beside him and was soon half-asleep. "Well, she's going to be gone whether she gets chosen tomorrow or not."

"I hope she is ready. It's rough out there even for able-bodied people."

He put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. We've taught her well and she's got perseverance when she puts her mind to it. If she'd just be more attentive to the future and not just to whatever seems good for today."

Samantha put her head on his shoulder. "You're still worried about her."

He tightened his grip for a moment. "More than when she first went to school, because at least then we knew where exactly she was going."

They sat quietly together for several minutes. Then Samantha put her hand over Norman's. "Since we're going to be alone for a time, how about we plan a romantic date for the next free day you have?"

He smiled warmly. "That sounds like a great plan." Then he kissed her.

* * *

It was too early in the morning. Aside from a few safety lights and some nighttime Pokemon, Petalburg was quiet. Even the invading hiss was quiet.

The hiss of a strange Pokemon slid by the charming houses. Things became strange when it touched them. A thornless white rose grew thorns and turned pink. Concrete stepping stones turned to brick. A maple sapling turned into a hickory sapling. These things could be done by magic, but they took extraordinary power and ability to do right. The strange Pokemon changed things with little effort.

It was hunted, but it sensed an opportunity. There was a chance, a small one, that great things could happen. This chance started here. And if there was a chance, it could make anything happen. Anything.

It just had to wait for the right moment and the right one.

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

_People_

Norman Brown  
Job: Petalburg Gym Leader, Master Wizard  
Battle strategy: Build a powerful offense  
Hobby: Fishing  
Secret: As tough as he is on his Gym Trainers, he's far tougher on himself.

Samantha Brown  
Job: Contest Judge (part-time)  
Contest strategy: Go with what your Pokemon love doing  
Hobby: Cooking  
Secret: She can't stand cleaning a freshly killed fish, so her husband does it for her.

Bethany Chesterfield  
Job: Pokemon Habitat Researcher  
Battle strategy: Hold items can make or break a battle  
Hobby: beaded jewelry  
Secret: She's obsessive about cleaning, but tries to hide it.

_Pokemon_

Slaking (5)  
Trainer: Norman  
Team: Second/Third Tier Gym Challenge  
Nature: Lax  
Likes: naps  
Dislikes: oatmeal

Slaking (4)  
Trainer: Norman  
Team: Third/Fourth Tier Gym Challenge  
Nature: Jolly  
Likes: jelly beans  
Dislikes: the smell of vinegar

Laura (Glaceon/Guardian)  
Partner: Norman  
Team: Currently Inactive  
Nature: Adamant  
Likes: her human family  
Dislikes: jalapenos and hot sauce


	2. Country Roads

incent was in Wally's room, sitting on a guest bed they had brought out for him. His new travel bag was sitting on a dresser nearby, a brown leather bag that had many pockets. Wally had forgotten to take his bag when he'd left the room. It was the same one he'd used for school for years, a pale green backpack with a logo: 'Fortree Pokemon Ranch-Where your Pokemon can retire in comfort'. But Vincent wasn't thinking on the journey ahead. He was thinking of a call he got last night.

It had been his father. "This'll put you right in shape before you know it," he had said. "It'll be a good counter to all those years you spent hiding in that dusty old library."

He had thought for a minute of arguing. Neither the Petalburg nor the Lilycove libraries were dusty (although the one in Oldale quite often was). But as it wouldn't be good for anything, he went with his stock response of, "Yeah, dad."

At any rate, he was glad he'd waited until he was done with school. According to his research, the younger applicants seemed to be chosen more often. It might have been better to go right at thirteen. The Guardian Pokemon were to grow with their partner and help them find their way in life. Adults had usually found their way in life already and the personal changes required for a Guardian's evolution were harder for an adult to make. A teenager still had every option open to them.

But Vincent loved school too much to put it in competition with anything. Well, the classes and learning part of school. When it came to socializing, school politics, or getting a girlfriend, he ended up well out of his comfort zone. He liked knowing things, but all his classmates seemed to care about was their popularity. Getting popular wasn't something he was good at. But if he could become a Mage and go to an advanced school, things would definitely improve.

"Vincent," Wally's mother called. "You've got a call from your mom."

"Okay, I'll be right there." He got up, picking up the two bags. 'Their house is so clean,' he thought as he walked down the hall. This house could intimidate dirt into leaving immediately, yet Wally still got sick all the time. Good thing he wasn't sick this year. He felt better going into this with his best friend.

He discreetly put Wally's bag on the coffee table. The older boy noticed and gave him a grateful smile for not letting his mother see the action. Then Vincent picked up the phone off the kitchen counter. "Hi, Mom."

There was a muffled sound of scolding, then, "Good morning, Vincent. Sorry I didn't get to talk with you yesterday when your dad called. I was busy keeping the triplets in line."

He nodded absentmindedly. His three little brothers were all pains in the neck. "Yeah, I figured."

"I hope things work out for you. But don't worry if you don't get chosen this year. You've got several more chances and there's always the Advanced Trainer's School."

"I know. I'll still hold off on catching my own Pokemon, though. The Guardians are better than any Pokemon you can catch by luck alone and it'll be best to build a team around one of them."

"Of course- Trenton, don't you dare- but I'm sure you could build a great team from nothing. You know far more than most adult Trainers with all the reading you-William Jackie Starmie, you put that matchbox down right now- sorry."

Vincent scratched his neck. "Um, I'd better let you go before he burns the house down."

"Yeah," she replied, sounding worn out already. "Good luck, Vincent dear."

So that was it. Well, it was nice that she had called. Vincent looked over to where Wally and his mother were cleaning up after breakfast. Bethany was fussing over her son as usual. "And don't pick up anything off the ground because you have no idea what germs are lurking on it."

"I know," he replied, passively caught in the conversation. "I've got the antibacterial lotion with me, just in case."

"That's good, but still, there are many dangers out there you won't expect."

"We ought to go wait by the Gym," Vincent interrupted. "It's almost seven-thirty."

"Yeah. Goodbye, Mom. Say goodbye to Dad for me when he comes back."

"Of course, dear," she said, hugging him. "It's so hard to see you go, but I'm proud of you, no matter what happens."

"I know. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, dear."

Vincent started to head for the door, which gave Wally an excuse to escape his mother's embrace. He occasionally wondered which of them was worse off: the one with the overprotective mother or the one with the frazzled mother who had to keep the younger boys from blowing up the house. 'My mom must be grateful that they can't have their own Pokemon until they have their licenses at twelve,' he thought.

"Thanks," Wally said as they left the house. "I wasn't sure if I could get away in time."

"No problem." He looked ahead to the crowd gathered outside the Gym. "But, uh, can we keep away from my Lilycove neighbors?"

"Sure."

* * *

Kiri went over a mental checklist. A travel bag enchanted to hold way more than it appeared to hold, check. Hers was made from old blue jeans and covered in her button collection. They had cute pictures and silly sayings like, 'May you have the luck of the Chansey', 'Caterpies Rock!', and 'Save the Wailords'.

Enchanted rail devices on the wheels of her chair, check. Her Dad had made these to make traveling outdoors easier on her. Norman disavowed any fishing spot that was easy to reach, preferring out-of-the-way wilds with strange and strong Pokemon. Since she often went out with him, she needed a way to get past dirt paths, grassy patches, and potentially muddy spots. The rails wouldn't work on steep slopes, sands, ice, or really soggy mud. He said that she needed the ability Surefoot for those places, but that required a badge.

ID card, address book, sunscreen, and wallet, check, check, check, and check. All else, check. Everything was in order. So this was it. If she didn't get chosen this year, she'd go ahead and catch a few to travel with, just to get some experience for this. Various people kept telling her that she couldn't do this, not even with rail enchantments, not even with all the help in the world. However, her parents both believed in her. She would make them proud.

"Mom, I'm going."

Samantha was writing an article for a Pokemon Contest magazine, but she stopped to give Kiri a hug. "Good luck, sweetie. No matter what happens, have fun out there."

"I will. And I'll write you so many letters that you'll have a stack a mile high. Just be careful when you tell dad what I write, cause I don't want him to know my team before I challenge him."

She chuckled. "Of course not. Make sure you eat well on the road. And I know you want to prove yourself, but don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it."

"Hopefully I won't have to. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Kiri. Just don't forget that you have to be back in August for your last school year. Now hurry on; your father won't wait on just you."

Petalburg Gym still showed signs of being newly renovated. The white and tan paint on the outer walls was as clean as the day they had put it up. A few of the new windows had factory stickers on them. From her dad's conversations over dinner, they were working out problems with the locked doors of the Trainer Challenge and reenforcing the new Leader's room for the Mage Challenge. And signs by the Gym gardens still warned of poisonous plants without and poisonous Pokemon within. But they did have the new flag out front, a brown flag with two tan stripes and a tan flower.

Vincent and Wally were already there, discussing a monster of a book in the former's lap. "Good morning," she said cheerily.

"Good morning," Wally replied.

"What've you got there?"

"Vincent's book, about Pokemon types and evolutions. There's a lot more variety then I thought there was."

"That's good to know about." She glanced at the ground. "I wonder who changed the stones."

"What're you talking about?"

She pointed out some pentagonal brick stepping stones by the poison plant garden. "Those! I was pretty sure that they had been concrete."

"I didn't notice." He paused. "I did notice a thorny rose at my house. I thought we only had thornless bushes. Maybe I've just missed it up to now."

Kiri looked back at the suspicious bricks. "My dad might've changed them. I wonder why he didn't mention it before. Course, he had to change a lot of stuff in here."

Wally twirled his hair for a second before adding, "You're going to be a Mage for sure, Kiri, cause you're dad's a Master, right?"

She shook her head. "Nope, that doesn't guarantee anything. Maybe you more than me since both of your parents are Wizards. Mom's not even a magician."

"I have the highest GPA in Hoenn and even that isn't certain to make me a Mage," Vincent said, not looking away from his book. He flipped a few pages back and bit his lip, most of his mind on another train of thought.

"So how do you know if you're chosen?"

"The Grand Wizard will summon three starter Pokemon," Vincent explained. "The Pokemon will choose the new Mages. You should remember that."

Wally might have paled, but his skin was too white to tell. "I, I don't remember discussing that in school."

"It's in the books."

"You mean the Guardians?" Kiri said. "I hadn't heard them called starters before."

"Guardians, starters, it's the same idea." Vincent turned to the last third of his book and searched for something. "Here. 'Pokemon can use magic restricted to their types and species. Humans can theoretically learn any type of magic; however, we cannot efficiently use mana in its natural state. In order for humans to use magic as strong as the Pokemon, we must either use an enchanted device, usually resembling a piece of jewelry, or a Guardian Pokemon. The Guardians are capable of fusing their mana with their partner's, thus allowing the human to cast higher forms of magic.'"

"That's why magicians can cast something like Capture, but need their Pokemon for Surf or Fly," Kiri said thoughtfully. "It's like the difference between a match and a blowtorch."

"Maybe," he responded, fiddling with his glasses. "I read another book that said it was like reading small print either by squinting and putting the book right in front of your face or by using a magnifying glass. Even if you can read by the first method well, you won't be as fast or as accurate as the person with the magnifying glass."

The Gym door slid to the side as Norman stepped out. He held onto an envelope. "Okay kids, is everyone here? Are you ready?"

Some called "Yes!" excitedly, while others nervously nodded.

"Okay, here we go." He opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. "Those of you asked to attend the preliminary Mage tests... Vincent Starmie, Kiri Brown, and Wally Chesterfield."

Kiri whooped and made a quick spin with her wheelchair. "Awesome!"

"Aw crud, not again," a boy from Oldale said.

"This is awful," one of the Lilycove girls whined. "I thought I was for certain."

"This is just the first step," Vincent said, finally putting his book away. "There's other tests."

"But you three made it past the biggest cut," Norman pointed out. "That means that even if you don't become a Mage, you have good potential as a Trainer or a magician."

"How does Birch know that?" Wally asked as the others drifted away. "It was just a form and three questions."

"There was more to that application than meets the eye. Like, oh I dunno, enchanted paper, dowsing crystals, and handwriting analysis."

Kiri giggled. "You know very well how they choose, Dad."

Norman stuck his tongue out at her. "Shh, what fun is a mystery when somebody like me ruins it? It's too early in your education for you to know everything. Now, most of the other potentials will be Teleported to Littleroot, but we're not that far away. I'll send you over with one of my Pokemon to guard you." He took a red and white Pokeball off his belt and tossed it to Wally. "This Zigzagoon will keep the wilds from attacking you."

The pale boy seemed startled to be given responsibility for the Leader's Pokemon. "O-okay. We'll take good care of..." he looked at the status screen, "her. Out, Zigzagoon."

The Pokeball released a white haze, which quickly formed into a brown and tan Zigzagoon. She stood low to the ground, but Kiri knew her to be quick and strong. Wagging her tail, she barked a greeting. "Hi Norman, hi Kiri, hi boys!"

"You'd best leave immediately," Norman advised. "You need to be there at noon and you should make it in plenty of time if you do. Remember, if a wild Pokemon attacks, just tell her to protect you. She's on my team for low badge challenges, but I've trained her well enough that she knows what to do."

"Then let's go," Vincent said, sounding as if he wanted the walk to be over with as soon as possible.

Kiri held her arms out and received a hug from her father. "Bye dad. I'll be back to challenge you whether I'm a Mage or Trainer."

"I'll be looking forward to that, sport. Good luck, to all of you."

"Thanks, Master Norman," Wally said.

Zigzagoon wanted to run, but obediently walked beside the three teens. Poochenyas kept trying to bother them, but Zigzagoon would bark up a fury and scare them off. Along the way, the three talked on many things. Wally felt glad that his two friends seemed to like each other. Vincent was willing to answer any question he was asked, even if he wasn't sure about the answer. And Kiri kept trying to make them laugh or smile, as she did with everyone.

"Kiri, why is your father's Guardian a Glaceon?" Vincent asked. "I understand that Eevees can be both Guardians and regular Pokemon, but even so, Glaceon is an extremely rare form. I thought it could only evolve in certain places."

"Laura's rare? I never thought of that."

"She is. Hang on." He dug out the large book again to look it up. "See? This says that Eevee only evolves into Glaceon in areas strong in Ice magic."

"Huh. Well, Dad tells me that when he was a Mage, he learned to make evolution stones. He wanted to evolve her into a Vaporeon, but made a mistake in enchanting the Water Stone. When he gave it to her, her powers turned to Ice instead of Water. But he's never managed to make an Ice Stone again. He said it was a bummer because that could have netted him a lot of money."

"An Ice Stone? I haven't heard of that."

"The week he made it did have a massive blizzard with thick sheets of ice, so that could have messed up his work. Maybe it was a Water Stone, but the icy blizzard took priority."

"Eevees are really sensitive to that kind of thing, aren't they?" Wally asked. "You can set your mind to getting one particular kind and wind up with something completely different."

"Well a Wizard wouldn't have to worry about that kind of mistake," Vincent said. "It was probably because he was a Mage learning magic." He paused, then added, "I hope we do get chosen. This is a vital step for our futures."

At the thought of that, Wally quivered. "V-vital?"

"Not really," Kiri said. "It'd be awesome to be a Wizard, but most people get by perfectly fine with only simple spells. My Dad says he uses the Mail spell more than any other and that can be done by just about anyone."

Vincent shook his head. "No, if you want any significant position, you have to be a Wizard. You have to be one in order to be a Gym Leader or an Elite 4. You can be the Trainer Champion, but that's nowhere near as significant as being the Magic Champion. Most top researchers are Wizards, in particular Grand Wizards. All healers are at least magicians; unless you want to be stuck in an ordinary life, you need to become a Wizard." He shrugged. "Or if you want to be a politician or lawyer. That's the highest you can get without magic."

"But only a few are chosen every year," Wally said, resisting the urge to twist his hair about his fingers. "At most four from a region, I hear. And you saw how many people were in Petalburg last night, from our town, and Oldale up ahead, and Petalburg Woods, and Lilycove. That's just one of eight districts; there has to be hundreds of applications."

"The ones that are chosen become the most important people."

"I think anybody can make a name for themselves, magic or none," Kiri countered.

"I guess so. Still, why would you give up magic for anything else?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't want to give it up. I'm just saying that it's probably not vital."

After a bit of silence, Wally changed the subject. "Kiri, what kind of Guardian would you want?"

"A Torchic. Torchics are small but tough and they don't take slack from anybody. On top of that, they're one of the cuter Guardians."

"I always thought a Chikorita would be nice. And Vincent likes Totodile, right?"

He nodded. "They all have their strengths and weaknesses, plus you can't choose because they choose you. But yes, I do like Totodile; I just like the way they look. It's good that most Guardians are available in this region. Some Grand Wizards can only summon three types, but Birch can manage just about anything."

Wally went on. "My mom says that the leaves a Chikorita and its line produces can make a herbal tea that strengthens the immune system in both humans and Pokemon. That could be useful for me."

Kiri smiled. "I'm sure a Chikorita Guardian wouldn't mind sparing a few leaves to help you out."

Vincent looked ahead. "And there's sleepy old Oldale. I swear, nothing exciting happens out here."

* * *

Sleepy old Oldale. The Pokemart and Pokecenter were both out-of-date, as their signs were over twenty years old. Their business was only with locals and travelers who couldn't hold out until Petalburg or Mauville. All the houses were old wooden structures with orange roofs, and in danger of being abandoned if not already. Although a few stubborn residents held out, Oldale was a dying town.

It had once been a thriving town. Years and years ago, it even had a licensed Gym. But then Sootopolis claimed that traveling license. Really, Sootopolis? A hollowed out volcano only accessible by flight or an underwater ferry had repeatedly won the license over Oldale, an inland, easily accessible town in the heart of Hoenn? The residents thought it was disgraceful, but hardly anyone outside Oldale bothered to think about it.

And then Littleroot had been founded. It was a special small town that housed the rich, powerful, and influential persons of Hoenn. These privileged people wanted a nice retreat away from the hustle and bustle of Lilycove, and Littleroot fit the bill. Before that, it used to be Oldale as the country retreat. However, Oldale was connected to two high traffic routes between two Gym towns. Littleroot was only connected to one lightly traveled route to Oldale. Therefore, it was preferred.

Once the rich left town, others began to think something was wrong with Oldale. It was no longer fashionable to live there and it was inconvenient that the town's Pokemart had a lousy manager that couldn't keep the store properly stocked. So they moved on to Mauville or Petalburg, both with huge advantages over Oldale. The country village was evolving into a ghost town, but wasn't quite there yet.

"Can we take a break?" the green haired boy asked, sounding winded.

"It's not that much further to Littleroot," the one with glasses responded.

"Aw, come on," the girl in the wheelchair said, clasping the wheels to stop herself. "Wally's not used to this. You look tired too and we still have an hour to get there."

"I guess we can stop, then," the second boy said, half-relieved and half-annoyed.

Some distance behind them, it hissed. It was as the strange Pokemon had hoped. It could see which of them would pass and which would fail. In truth, the process was fair. Those that deserved a Guardian would receive one and those that didn't would not. There were always three, but sometimes a fourth, maybe even a fifth, received a special Guardian.

It was very fair, and yet it could appear vastly unfair. It all depended on what happened. The strange one knew. This time, it had a chance.

The strange Pokemon slithered into a flowerbed, changing all the flowers to purple poppies. A nearby garden gnome statue turned into a little girl with an umbrella. The Pokemon watched the three teens. Patience...

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Charlene Starmie  
Job: housewife  
Hobby: knitting  
Secret: She's disappointed that she never had a daughter.

Trenton, William, and Benjamin Starmie  
Job: annoying little brothers  
Hobby: getting things dirty, especially themselves  
Secret: We're not telling!

_Pokemon_

Zigzagoon (7)  
Trainer: Norman  
Team: First Tier Gym Challenge  
Nature: Impish  
Likes: barking  
Dislikes: being barked at

_Places_

Petalburg: A town of passion pink and blossoming gardens, it has two lakes and is suitable place for raising families. Petalburg currently holds one of the traveling licenses for a Gym. Although there is no Contest Hall, a fair number of Coordinators live here.

Oldale: The town sign mysteriously declares that it is a place where things start scarce. It is a simple town, but one that is slowly dying. Devon Corporation has shown some interest in building here, but hasn't due to excessive business property taxes.

Littleroot: It's a cozy country retreat for important and wealthy families. Birch founded the town nearly twenty years ago as a calm place for his research lab and to raise his family. It is a beautiful town, but the only major activity that occurs is when prospective Mages come at the beginning of summer to be tested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, there's so many things I'd want to change if I were to re-write this. This chapter and the next one (next one especially) are a bit info-dump-y. There is a lot that needs to be said because of how differently this AU works, but I could do better.  
> Oldale... really not much happens there. I mean, Cherrygrove has more going on as a second town with that guide man and Accumula at least has a plot-important scene. Oldale really seems like nothing more than a pit-stop.


	3. Summoning the Guardians

After pausing to give Wally a break, they moved on to a town even smaller than Oldale. There wasn't even a Pokecenter in Littleroot. Just a few grand houses, a general store, and a large two story building. "That's the place," Vincent said.

"Race you there!" Kiri called before speeding towards the large building.

"Hey, no fair!" Vincent yelled. "You have wheels."

"Wheee, a race!" The Zigzagoon barked and ran after her, ahead of the boys.

Kiri stopped just outside the place. A sign nearby said, 'Hoenn Pokemon Lab- headed by Grand Wizard Birch'. After waiting a moment for the two boys to catch up, she held her hands out gracefully. "You may go first."

"Thank you," Vincent replied, somewhat annoyed at her excitement.

The Lab was full of Mage hopefuls. The three new entrants brought them up to twenty. Some of the teens looked through the books that lined the shelves. Others observed the mystical equipment of the Pokemon Lab. Still others chatted with friends. The air was tense with excitement and anxiety. Nearly all of them had been waiting for this moment for years.

A column of green smoke interrupted everyone. The man who appeared wore a flowing black robe that had Unown text embroidered in gold threads. A gold horoscope watch was clipped onto one of his pockets. While his face was clean shaven, it was tan and weathered, indicating that he spent a lot of time outdoors.

"Good morning to you all," he said in a calm and collected voice. It was the sort of voice one wouldn't mind listening to during a lecture. "I am Michael Birch, researcher and expert on Pokemon. Would you care for some lunch?"

Behind him, a sandwich buffet table appeared. It was loaded with five types of bread, a dozen types of meat, over a dozen types of cheese, varying vegetables, dressings, fruits, chips, and a pair of cakes, one yellow and one chocolate. On a smaller table were several options for drinks: punch, lemonade, soda, or water. Many of the teens gasped at the sudden appearance of an inviting lunch.

"Go ahead and serve yourselves," Birch said. "We have much to do and I'd rather not do it with you hungry."

"That was amazing," Wally said in a soft awe.

"He probably just put a spell over it to keep us from noticing," Vincent explained. "It seems easy from the books."

"I've seen my dad do a lot of tricks like that," Kiri said. "Come on, we'd better get in line so we can get the good stuff."

While the teens ate lunch, Birch drifted around and made sure everyone was there. When he got to the three who'd walked from Petalburg, he asked, "Are you going to be able to get around in that wheelchair, Kiri? Some routes have smooth paths, but others are rough and muddy."

"I'll make myself get around," she said. "Besides, if I learn the right spells, I can freeze mud, smooth out rocks, or even levitate my chair around rougher paths."

"You have a point. If you're that determined, I won't be one to stop you. And Wally, you'll be okay traveling when you seem sensitive to the environment? You get around the volcano and there's ash and poisonous fumes filling the air."

"I look like that?" he asked, bashfully. "Um, I'll be careful with myself. I promised my mom and dad that I'd do my best."

"What have you promised yourself?"

Wally scratched his head. "I, I want to succeed too. I just..."

"He'll do fine once he finds his way," Kiri chimed in. "No two people have the same journey."

"Yeah, that."

Birch nodded. "You'll learn your path soon enough." Then he moved on to another group.

Wally took a deep breath and let it out. "Thanks Kiri."

She smiled with chocolate frosting on her lips. "No problem."

"Why didn't he say anything to me?" Vincent wondered.

"Maybe cause you don't need anything said to you," Kiri suggested.

"But I had so many things to ask, about type match-ups and team balancing, and the rate of finding a shiny..."

She shrugged. "Don't you already know all about that stuff?"

"Well yeah, but he's the foremost expert on Pokemon in Hoenn, so maybe he knows things I can't find in books."

When everyone seemed done with lunch, Birch clapped his hands together. "All right, here's how the tests will be conducted. In a moment, I will call forward those with sufficient mana to become a Mage. If you're not called, you're weak in magic at the moment and, I'm sorry, but you are not ready to start this year. But the fact that you have made it here means that you are potentially a great Trainer and magician, so my assistants will give you a kit that will help you begin your journey. Try again next year, for you may have developed the mana necessary.

"If you are called, you will come upstairs for the next test, an examination of your soul. If you are deemed unsuitable, you will be sent downstairs for a different kit. Those who pass that exam will be instructed on a basic spell. You have a certain amount of time to produce this spell; if you fail to do so, you will come downstairs for the third kit. Finally, I will summon the three Guardian Pokemon and they will choose their masters. If you are not chosen, you get the fourth kit. If you are chosen, you will be named a Mage and be given the Mage's Starter Kit. Does everyone understand this?"

They all nodded. Some of them, like Vincent, had already known of the sequence of tests given to potential mages. Some, like Wally, nodded because they didn't want to appear like an idiot.

"Fine. Isabel, Todd, Marie, Parker, Johnny, Vincent, Kiri, Wally, Luke, Kelly, Lucy, and May, all of you follow me." Birch then went towards the stairs in back.

Kiri scooted her wheelchair ahead to intercept him before he started climbing. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have an elevator in here, would you?"

"I don't, but here." He snapped his fingers. Her wheelchair levitated off the floor, then followed Birch upstairs. Once on the second floor, he set her down. "Brendan, is everything ready?"

A young man stood up quickly. He had white hair and blue eyes. Sitting on his right was a Venusaur, a four-legged Guardian with a brilliant red and violet flower growing on its back. Standing on his left was a Meganium, a grassy reptile with a long graceful neck and a magnificent scent. Brendan nodded. "Yes, dad, we're ready for the tests."

The Meganium cooed, "Are you ready?" and bumped her head affectionately against Birch's.

The Grand Wizard smiled and patted his Guardian. "Good, then first we must measure your souls." He put his hands together, then stretched out a roll of measuring tape that hadn't been in his hands before. "Who comes first? You, Vincent."

Holding his head up in pride of being picked first, he stepped forward. "Yes, sir."

Birch dropped one end of the tape to the ground, then held it up to get what seemed to be a height measurement. "Hmm... you are proud, but you have reasons to be so. But beware; you walk a fine line."

Vincent frowned. "A fine line?"

"Next, Wally."

Wally tensed. "Oh, uh, okay. Sir." He stepped forward, trying to keep himself from fidgeting out of nervousness. Vincent moved back to the group, still puzzling over his reading.

Birch adjusted the tape to Wally's shorter height. "Your main lacking is confidence, which undermines your health. You must restore both, not one or the other. Next, May."

A brown haired girl wearing a red paisley kerchief on her head came forward to replace Wally. "Alright."

"You may be too agreeable," he told her. "Don't let others take advantage of you; it will lead to something you'll regret later on. Next, Johnny."

A boy wearing black pants with flames painted on the legs came forward. "Yes, sir."

Birch looked at the tape, then shook his head. "You're much too aggressive and false with your manners. Sorry, but you aren't suited to be a Mage."

Johnny shot him a bitter look, but quickly covered it up. "If you say so, sir." He walked downstairs, looking like he might kick something.

"Next, Kiri."

She rolled her chair forward. "You can't take my real height without picking me up and I'd rather not go through that."

"I understand." He leaned down to look at the measuring tape. "You are very cheerful, but that will not always win you friends. You might want to look into taking things more seriously and giving yourself long-term goals instead of short."

"Okay, sir." She moved aside to let the next person get measured.

Birch also got rid of Luke (for relying too much on chance) and Lisa (for disregarding Pokemon based solely on looks). Brendan took notes until Birch was on the last applicant. Then he went to retrieve a plastic container the size of a shoebox.

"Your next test is to cast the spell Detect," Birch said. "Brendan, please explain."

His son nodded. "I have here a magic glass that detects someone using a Detect spell. As it is enchanted, it will set off said spell. When you manage a successful Detect, you will know it and, thanks to this glass, I will know it. You have fifteen minutes to cast Detect once my father is done explaining it."

"Thank you. Now, Detect is simple. You either can cast it or you can't. Look at this card." He flipped his hand around and produced the card. It had a symbol on it, that of an eye. "Simple spells have simple symbols. More complicated spells can have multiple symbols strung together. The symbol itself focuses magic and gives it a form. You will have to memorize many such symbols during your career.

"In order to cast Detect, you must draw this symbol in your mind. Some people can cast a spell with just that. Others may need a hand motion or word. You will know what you need in most cases. I know some Wizards who cast Detect by touching their eyelids and others who think or speak words like, 'Show me what magic is here'. You have fifteen minutes to figure out your method now."

Kiri thought. So she had to find her way of casting magic. Her father always made gestures that mimicked what he wanted done, such as when he'd thrown the applications. When he was Detecting something, he would half-close his eyes and tap a finger against his cheek. Kiri drew the eye symbol in her mind, then half-closed her eyes and tapped her cheek.

There was a response, a bright flashing arrow that she could only see in her mind. Actually, she 'saw' several flashing arrows. One pointed to the Detect Detector. Another pointed to a white pearl sitting on a table nearby. Several small ones pointed out various devices, fortune tags, and protective jewelry that people in the room were wearing. It even pointed out the large devices downstairs.

After fifteen minutes, Brendan spoke up. "Vincent, Wally, May, Kiri, Isabel, and Parker have all cast the spell."

"Very well, then you three must go." Once Todd, Marie, and Kelly had left, Birch continued. "Then you six have the greatest potential to become a Mage, and eventually a Pokemon Wizard. If you are not chosen here, you will still be able to learn magic. It will never be as strong as a Wizard's magic, but it will help you out. Your kit will include a small book of simple spells. Be careful with this book; not many people can make use of it and a nonmagical person can unknowingly ruin a simple spellbook. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," all six responded.

He nodded to them, then went to the table and picked up the white pearl. "This summoning takes time and effort, even for the best of Grand Wizards. Please remain quiet while I am casting."

Birch shut the pearl in his fist, then wrapped his other hand around that fist. He put his hands against his chest and bowed his head, as if he was going to pray. For several minutes, magic swirled and grew around him, building into the potent summoning spell. His own Guardian Pokemon walked over to him and curled her tail and neck around him. In this way, she was protecting and helping him.

A white glow began to surround Birch and his Meganium. Magic saturated the room to the point of Kiri feeling her skin tingle. Then the Grand Wizard spoke in a voice that showed the effort he was putting into this spell. It was truly putting a strain on his body.

"Come forth, spirits. I call on Arceus, the one who shaped all we see. I call on Mew, the Mother of all Pokemon. I call on Jirachi, the granter of wishes. Please send us three young Guardians to develop with the three young Mages in their life's travels. I ask according to the ancient bonds that were made between humans and Pokemon to enhance and protect our world. Send the three you choose to make their choice for life."

The white glow rapidly became brighter, then separated into three spheres of energy. One took on a green hue, another blue, and the third red. The three rotated around Birch for a moment, then floated away. The green sphere went to May. The blue sphere went to Parker. And the red sphere went to Kiri.

A flame patterned Pokeball dropped into her lap. The red sphere solidified itself and formed a red chick in front of her. The Torchic looked at her with her black circular eyes, then bowed politely. The orange feather sticking off the top of her head brushed against Kiri's ankle, but she couldn't feel it.

Kiri smiled. "Hi there. You're Billina."

Billina bowed again, as if she already knew her name.

She glanced up at her two friends. Wally actually seemed relieved. Vincent looked stunned. "I wasn't chosen?"

"But you're really smart and you can use magic," Wally pointed out. "You should do really well, or maybe you'll be chosen next year."

"That's right," Brendan said. "For now, you must leave. If you wish to wait for your neighbor, you can do so downstairs."

"Yeah, let's wait." Wally turned to Kiri and smiled. "Congratulations. I knew you'd get a Guardian."

"Thanks. You can travel around with me if you like."

"Um," he scratched his head, "I'll think about it. See you later." He tugged at Vincent, then left with him. Isabel had already gone downstairs.

Once it was just the new Mages, Birch dropped into the chair. He looked exhausted. "Phew. That spell always gets to me."

"You okay, dad?" May asked, worried. She went over and leaned on his chair.

"I'm okay, but I won't be doing any more major spells today. Brendan, you have the kits?"

"Right over here." He went to the table and picked up three boxes. He gave the first to his sister, then one to Kiri, then the last to Parker. "All of you do have virtual storage bags?" He noted the enchanted bags with each of them. "Good."

"I thought this choosing was fair," Parker said. He was a tall boy with long limbs, quite different from his short-limbed Guardian Mudkip. "But both of your kids got accepted."

"I had nothing to do with that," Birch replied. "And this is her second year trying; Brendan took three years before a Guardian would come to him."

"And our older brother wasn't chosen," Brendan added. "He never made the first cut. But magic can run in families."

"Like how we all have grass Guardians?" May asked. Her Treecko had already climbed onto her shoulders.

"Right," her father said. "Now these kits you have contain basic supplies needed for raising and catching Pokemon: five Pokeballs, three potions, a repel, a berry pouch, and a TM case. But it also contains the two most vital pieces of equipment for a Mage or Wizard: the Mana Pen and the Pokedex."

Kiri pulled the lid off her box. The normal supplies were on top, so she put those into her bag. The Mana Pen was in a leather case. Although it looked like a normal pencil, it did not write in a normal fashion. The Pokedex was a large book that rivaled the thick monstrosity that Vincent had in his bag. It had a simple brown cover with an image of a Pokeball in the center and a white and red bar of triangles on the bottom.

"Hey, all the pages are blank," Parker said.

"That's because these books are personal and have not been claimed yet," Brendan said. "You need to take the Mana Pen and write your name clearly on the first page."

Kiri did so. Once she wrote 'Kiri Brown' across the top of the page, black text began filling it in. It wrote 'POKEDEX' underneath her name. Below that, it recorded her Trainer ID, her Guardian's nickname, and where she was from.

"Now turn the page and you will find the Oath. This is a sworn agreement between you and your Guardian that you will live, learn, and work with each other for the rest of your lives. Speak the words that are there to your Guardian. They will give their half and then sign the page, after which you should do the same."

The Oath she was to speak was on the left page; the right was, so far, blank. As she read over it silently first, Kiri figured that each oath must be tailored to the Guardian. Billina kept a steady gaze on her, so she read the Oath aloud. "Loyal Guardian who has chosen me, I swear to care for you, to guide you, and to help you along our path. I will uphold the honor of Mages and Wizards by seeking what is best for the world, for others, and sometimes for us, by helping those in need, by protecting the lands in which we live, by honoring the immortals, and by living with honesty and honor. My inner fire will always burn bright and clean, guiding the lost and purifying my life."

Billina bowed, then began speaking in a mixture of clucks and chirps. Her words began writing themselves on the right page. "My human who I have accepted, I swear to care for you, to guide you, and to help you along our path. I will uphold the honor of the Guardians by protecting you, by assisting other Pokemon you take in, by protecting the lands in which we live, by honoring the immortals, and by living with honesty and honor. My inner fire will always burn bright and clean, guiding the lost and purifying my life."

Then she hopped up and made two scratch marks under her oath, like a narrow X. Kiri signed her page. For a moment, both pages turned bright red. When they reverted back to white, a fiery seal had appeared behind the Oath. On the bottom of the left page was a small picture of a bird that was wrapped in her own blaze. On the bottom of the right page were the words, 'This bond has been approved by Moltres and will endure your entire life.'

Birch got up and examined all three Pokedexes to make sure the seals had appeared. "Good, then your bonds are set. Now, the Pokedex includes a set of simple spells when you start, although not all that are in the spellbook given to the last three. When you learn a new spell, draw it into the spell section and it will record vital information for you. The second section is the Pokemon listings. It will give you information on any Pokemon that you see from this point forward. So right now, no matter what kinds of Pokemon you know about, your 'dex will only have information on Meganium, Venusaur, Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip." He pointed to each of the Pokemon as he named them.

"The third section," Birch went on, "tells you more in-depth information about the Pokemon you have personally trained. It will list every spell and skill they learn. You can't cast all spells they know, but you should be able to learn some."

"How do you know which ones you can and which you can't?" May asked.

"There will be a short line in the skill listing which will tell you so. It will say 'Known' by any spell you have already cast, 'Unknown' by any spell you can cast but haven't yet, 'Skilled' by spells that you don't have the experience to cast, and 'Locked' by spells you cannot learn no matter what you do.

"Now that you are Mages, you must go out and learn about magic and Pokemon. If you have any questions, you can send a letter to me or any Wizard you have befriended. Brendan here works with me in fieldwork and research, so you may run into him as well."

He nodded. "I'll help any of you out if you get in trouble. Just ask."

"You can learn in several ways. You can become an apprentice to a Wizard if you know one that's willing. You can research libraries and ruins; I can give you several places to start off at in Hoenn. You can follow the League Challenge and learn what the Gym Leaders have to pass on; just be warned that any badges you have earned as a normal Trainer are now invalid. Or you can find your own way. It's all up to you and your Guardian.

"This afternoon, I will teach you the absolute basics. Things like the spells Capture, Mail, and the simplest form of Unseal. These spells you will be using on a regular basis. I will also answer what questions you have, as far as you can know this early in your education. Tomorrow morning, your own Pokemon adventure will begin."

* * *

"Technically, the normal type has the least amount of weaknesses," Vincent was saying as Brendan helped Kiri downstairs. "But it has no strengths either. I'd like dragons, but the fact that they're weak to themselves is a drawback."

"I just don't want something that'll go ballistic on me," Wally replied. "I'd rather have something that's nice and easy to raise."

"You'd probably want a grass-type then; most of them are easy to work with. Some waters wouldn't be too bad either."

"Hi guys," Kiri said. "Thanks for waiting on me."

"No problem," Wally responded.

"Could you three wait for a minute?" Brendan asked. "My father's worn out from the day's activities, but he had something he wanted to ask of you, Vincent."

He sat up. "Oh, me? What is it?"

"We were wondering if you'd like to become a research assistant for us. There's an ongoing project to put information about Pokemon out so that everyone can learn about them, not just people with a Pokedex. Grand Wizard Oak in Kanto is the head researcher, but we're leading in this region. We need to get tens of thousands of readings; we can't even get away with a single reading for a rare kind."

"Right, because within each species, there are many variables which will affect how it can grow."

"We've even got someone who only studies Spindas and their varying coat patterns. If you are an assistant, we have study groups for those who wish to learn more in-depth about Pokemon, starting in the fall."

He nodded, smiling with excitement. "Great! I'd love to help out."

Brendan smiled back. "Thank you. You should be a tremendous help because you're one of the smartest teenagers in Hoenn. Here, take this with you." He handed over a device that looked like a long gray glove that was missing its fingers. A black strip ran up to the elbow. Mystical gems were arranged on the back of the hand. Brendan was wearing one himself.

Vincent put it on his right hand. "This is an aura scanner, right?"

"Yes. We'll need you to scan Pokemon that you run across. If you can focus your mind and mana, you can do this without physical contact. My father should check on you once a month to get the information. You can also transfer the information into a journal, so you can see for yourself."

"Okay, thanks. I'll be sure to scan plenty of Pokemon for him."

"Good. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask me or my Dad. And good luck on your own Pokemon journey."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

_People_

Michael Birch  
Job: Pokemon Researcher/Grand Wizard  
Hobby: biking  
Secret: Sometimes he blocks all Mail spells so that he can work in peace.

Brendan Birch  
Job: Pokemon Researcher/Wizard  
Battle strategy: I battle just to learn about my Pokemon  
Hobby: making paper airplanes  
Secret: The only Pokemon he's kept for more than six months is his Guardian.

May Birch  
Job: Student/Mage  
Contest strategy: What moves are good for contests and battles?  
Hobby: growing berries  
Secret: She makes some Pokeblocks for herself.

Parker Taillow  
Job: Gym Apprentice/Mage  
Battle strategy: I fight like Wallace  
Hobby: swimming  
Secret: He chose to apprentice under Wallace partly because of all the girls in the Gym.

_Pokemon_

Rosemary (Meganium/Guardian)  
Trainer: M. Birch  
Nature: Cautious  
Likes: hiking  
Dislikes: battles

Bob (Venusaur/Guardian)  
Trainer: Brendan  
Nature: Jolly  
Likes: peanut butter  
Dislikes: deserts

Leon (Treecko/Guardian)  
Trainer: May  
Nature: Quirky  
Likes: high places  
Dislikes: peanut butter

Candice (Mudkip/Guardian)  
Trainer: Parker  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: seashells  
Dislikes: thunderstorms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally stole the tape thing from Mary Poppins, lol. So yes, many things about the magic of this world explained here. By the way, the humans here, even the mages/wizards, don't understand Pokemon speech. Not even their Guardians. But telepathy is fairly common, coming into play later.


	4. Glitch in the Pokedex

Patience would finally be rewarded. The strange Pokemon followed the three teens out of Littleroot. If it intervened before they reached Petalburg, then the plans should all run smoothly. Things were set up like a trail of dominos, ready to tumble over as it pleased. Now all it needed was a tap to get things started.

It was going to be dangerous, it considered, as there was an active Pokedex around. Secrets were hard to hide around those magic books. However, they were all young. Even the Guardian could be fooled because she was newly formed. As long as no one else intervened, it could pull this chance off. This was a critical step.

A storm would do. That would stop them from reaching Petalburg and the end of this excellent chance. A beautiful little storm; it could whip one up easily. Darken the clouds, join the water droplets, electrify the particles, destabilize the air, ready the wind! It would make a storm to remember.

* * *

"There's an awful lot of clouds out west," Wally said as they left Littleroot. "Can we make it back home in time?"

"We'll have to hurry and not stop," Vincent replied, emphasizing this by walking faster.

Kiri nodded. "Yeah, that looks like a nasty storm. Will you be okay, Billina?"

She gave a quick nod as she hopped alongside the wheelchair. "I can make it. But something feels strange and I'm not sure what."

"I didn't think there would be a storm today." Wally quieted for a moment, then had to suppress a snicker.

"What's so funny?" Vincent asked.

Wally grinned. "I was just thinking about what Birch said during his soul measuring thing. Telling Kiri that's she's very cheerful is like telling the ocean that it's very wet."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it's kinda sorta obvious."

"How can you be that cheerful when you're paralyzed like you are?" Vincent asked.

"I appreciate every day and that makes me cheerful. Besides, who said I had to be angsty? If you can find a handbook of life's rules and find one that says all teenagers must have angst, then I might consider trying it out."

"I bet you'd be terrible at it," Wally teased. "You'd crack yourself up."

There were a number of small ledges on Route 101 that they had to navigate around. The wild Pokemon didn't bother them this time, as they were too busy scurrying to hide before the storm struck. The storm itself grew much faster than they expected and darkened the land just as Oldale came into view. A blast of wind blew ahead of the storm, forcing the two boys to grab onto the wheelchair so they weren't knocked over. And then...

KRA-KOW!

The sky tore apart as the storm clouds began drenching everything beneath them. Billina squealed and retreated to her Pokeball. The Zigzagoon yelped and rushed ahead to the nearest shelter, under the roof of the Pokecenter. Kiri hurried over before the ground got too soggy for the rails to work. Wally and Vincent were close behind her.

Wally shook his head. "No way we're getting home tonight."

"I can't believe how fast that storm came," Vincent said, looking at the downpour in awe. "It might pass through just as quick."

"I still have to wait for the ground to dry out," Kiri pointed out, before heading inside. "We'll see how it comes out."

The inside of Oldale's Pokecenter was as dated as the outside. The orange and yellow floor tiles were starting to show wear. The peach paint on the walls was peeling along the corners and windows. By the brick fireplace, an elf was coaxing a new fire into staying. She looked over at her three guests. "Oh dear, I was not expecting anyone today. Are any of you or your Pokemon injured?"

"No, we're just wet," Kiri replied. She leaned aside as the Zigzagoon shook, flinging water droplets everywhere. "Hey, not inside!"

"That is no problem. You are welcome to share my fire." She got up and brushed off the green and white dress uniform that marked her as a Nurse Joy. Like the rest of her tribe, this elf had rose pink hair extending a few inches below her shoulders, pointed ears, crystal blue eyes, and a slender figure. She stood four and a half feet high, a little tall by elf standards.

Also like the rest of her tribe, she would never give her true name to strangers. With this in mind, Vincent replied, "Thank you, Nurse Joy," as they came to sit by the fire.

Kiri released Billina, who was still damp. "There you go, we can dry off now."

"Good," she replied. The Torchic hopped next to the fireplace and sat down with her feathers fluffed out to dry faster.

"It is strange," Nurse Joy said, placing her hand against her cheek in thought. "Rain was not expected today in Oldale, according to the newspaper. But Nature has her own ideas on what to do. I shall make some barley soup for tonight; would you care for some?"

"That sounds good, thanks," Wally answered for the rest of them.

"I shall be back in fifteen minutes. If you need anything or if anyone else comes in, please ring the bell on my desk." She teleported away.

* * *

Contrary to Vincent's thoughts, the storm stayed through the evening. It did stop raining as hard, but the wind and lightning kept them at the Pokecenter. As an enchanted storm, it would stay as long as its creator wanted it to.

But the strange Pokemon was getting frustrated. It wanted to make contact alone; that would be safest, that would keep secrets closest. But the teens, although assigned different rooms, were staying in the lobby to play board games with the elf. By the time they went to bed, they would all go to sleep.

And, contrary to the Pokemon's wishes, the chance was growing weaker. It was that girl Mage causing the problems. Her optimism was making the situation brighter and her Pokedex could ruin everything. It would have to make contact before the girl changed things too much. Another chance might crop up further down the road, but it had been patient enough. It was time to act.

It stirred the particles of the air to strike the Pokecenter with a bolt of lightning.

* * *

The only light in the Pokecenter now was that given off by the fire. Shadows flickered on the walls and the crackles filled the air. Outside, the storm howled, fiercely rattling the windows and clanging against anything metal.

Wally shivered. "That was spooky."

"I hope nothing else was damaged," Nurse Joy said, standing up. "I should go check on things."

"Will you be okay out there by yourself?" Vincent asked.

"I will be fine." She left the building.

Kiri would have started their conversation again. It had been obvious that Vincent was disappointed by not being chosen, so she and Wally had been trying to cheer him up. He was now doing important research and could attend an advanced school later on. When he was finally chosen, he would easily become one of the best Mages in Hoenn, perhaps the world. If he just had some patience, he would have what he wanted.

It had been working. Vincent had offered to make an assessment of Billina and suggest what Pokemon Kiri should look for to build an effective team, based on how she thought she would battle, what Pokemon she already liked, and what Gyms were currently like in Hoenn. Yet Kiri didn't feel like going back to that topic. Normally she'd make light of a situation like this, but something didn't feel right.

"It feels like this storm has a mind of its own," Kiri mused. "Like something's out there that didn't want us to make it back to Petalburg tonight."

"Yeah," Vincent added. "I don't know why that would be, but this storm is unnatural."

Wally leaned forward, gripping his knees. "It kind of reminds me of the time I met Darkrai."

"You met the Master of Nightmares?" Kiri asked.

"Master of the New Moon, he prefers," Wally corrected. "He wasn't really that bad, although his help, I might have thought twice if I knew what he meant. I met him when I was fifteen, on a dark and stormy night like this."

"Did he make it feel like your skin was crawling?" she asked, rubbing her arms.

"He scared me at first, but it wasn't bad." He paused. "Maybe I don't remember well enough, but it sure seems spookier tonight."

The fire flared up, startling Billina. She hopped over to Kiri and began to glare and growl at the fire. "No way; I do not know what that is, but I don't like it! That fire has been corrupted."

The girl picked up her Guardian and put her in her lap. "What's going on? I don't know if you two can feel it, but the magic in this area has gone whacko. Repulsive, even."

"I'm sorry," a wispy voice came from the fire. "I can't help what my curse does sometimes."

And then a form emerged from the fire. It wasn't a certain form; the closest the teens could come up with was the static snow on a television with a bad signal. It hissed faintly and could not hold a shape for long. Nor a color, although it seemed mostly made up of black, white, gray, silver, and blue pixels that could not make a picture. When it fully emerged from the fire, the sherbert orange and yellow tiles of the Pokecenter abruptly changed to light blue and sea foam green.

"What is that?" Wally asked, nervous. "A ghost?"

The Zigzagoon huddled down on the floor and whined. "What is that? I don't like it. Make it go away."

"I'm not a ghost," the static thing said. It was difficult to hear over the storm outside. "I'm a Guardian."

Vincent took his glasses off, then put them back on. "You don't look like any of them, not even the special ones. And none of the Guardians can speak the human language."

"I'm not normal for a Pokemon, or a Guardian."

In the meantime, Kiri had opened up her Pokedex. The book responded to her query and added an entry on, "Missingno, that's what you are. But that's weird."

"What?" Wally asked, peering over at the book. "Why's there so many question marks?"

"I don't know."

Missingno sighed. "It's because I failed when I was summoned. I was to protect and assist my partner, but... I failed. And so I was turned into this."

"But you said you weren't a ghost," Vincent asked. "What were you?"

"I can't remember. I'm under a curse to where I don't know anything about myself. I was told that I would remain like this forever unless I could properly guide a new Mage."

Billina fluttered her wings, glaring at the ghostly Guardian. "I don't trust this thing."

"Billina, be nice," Kiri said. "I'd like to help, but I've already got her."

"I can't work with you," Missingno replied. "I need someone who passed all the tests, but was not chosen. And... please, I must ask you to keep my presence a secret."

"Why?" Wally asked. "What did you do to your old partner?"

"I already told you, I don't remember. It's just that most other Pokemon don't accept me because of my failure and resulting curse. I need to remain a secret until I've begun to redeem myself. But you need not fear me. I know what to do now and I'll be loyal."

"I'll help you out," Vincent said, holding his hand out to the strange Pokemon. "I probably wasn't chosen on a fluke. Besides, it must be awful to be under a curse forever."

"It is. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." It offered its vaguely shaped hand and shook Vincent's. "I am now your Guardian."

When they separated, a black Pokeball appeared in Vincent's hand. It had a pair of question marks in a blocky style of lettering. "I'll find a way to uncurse you, I promise."

"Good, then these should help." Missingno made a Pokedex and a Mana Pen appear. This magic book was different than Kiri's. It had a black cover with a Pokeball image on front. But maybe it just looked that way from Missingno's curse.

"You have to write your name on the first page of the book," Kiri said. "And I can tell you all the stuff Birch told me."

"Do you want me to leave?" Wally asked, a little uneasy.

"No, you're fine. It wasn't any real secret knowledge; at least, I think not."

At this point, Nurse Joy came back in. "The power should be restored sometime this night," she mused. Then she glanced down at the floor. "Now what...?" her eyes went unfocused.

"Joy?" Wally asked when she didn't speak for a full minute.

"Hmm?" She looked back at them, then waved her hand. "It is nothing; I was just considering how to find the funds to refurbish this center. I will be off resting unless someone else comes. Good night." She teleported off to her private room.

As the storm calmed down, Kiri taught the others about being a Pokemon Mage. Billina kept a wary eye on Missingno.

* * *

In the morning, Vincent announced that he was going to Mauville City. "Missingno senses that's the best way for me."

"How are you going to cross the water?" Wally asked. "There's a pretty big lake on Route 103."

"I can get around it. Where are you guys going?"

"I have to return my dad's Zigzagoon," Kiri said. "And I want to show him Billina."

"I, I'm going back to Petalburg too," Wally said. "I'm not sure what to do now."

"We can catch you a Pokemon and start you out as a Trainer," she offered.

He put his hand to his cheek. "Maybe."

"I see," Vincent said. "Well, good luck guys. We'll probably run into each other later on."

"Right, bye Vincent! Nice meeting you."

While Vincent went north to Route 103, Kiri and Wally went west along Route 102. There was a Marill in their path, munching on grass. When he saw them, he growled. Wally took the Zigzagoon's Pokeball. "Um, we don't mean to bother you."

"Looks like it wants to bother us," Kiri said. "Let me handle it. Go Billina!"

Billina hopped into the air as she appeared and growled right back at the Marill. He growled louder, hoping to intimidate her into backing off. Instead, the Torchic hopped over and scratched the rodent Pokemon with the claws on her feet. The Marill shook her off, then spat bubbles at her. She squawked when the bubbles hit her, then scratched him fiercer this time. Not expecting that strong of a retaliation, he took off. A nearby Lotad chuckled and followed him into the water.

"Now I'm wet," she said sadly, with her top feather bending over.

"You won, but I guess you really don't like water," Kiri said sympathetically. "Come up here."

Billina shook herself off, then hopped into Kiri's lap. "A temporary moment of weakness only, I promise."

"Out, Zigzagoon," Wally said, bringing Norman's Pokemon back out. "We'll have you fight off the Marills from now on."

She barked, "Glad to help with anything! I'll make Norman proud."

There was another movement in the grass ahead. A smooth green helmet with a red fore-fin was wading their way; the thick tall grass prevented them from seeing the rest of this small Pokemon. The 'helmet' lifted up to show a white face with round black eyes. "You both have nice auras," he cooed, then ducked back into the grass.

"What was that?" Wally asked.

"I haven't seen a Pokemon like that. Let me check." She brought out her Pokedex and opened it for identification.

In the meantime, the little Pokemon came out of the grass and looked at them. He had a large head that dwarfed his petite white body. He showed no inclination to attack, although he watched the Torchic and Zigzagoon warily.

"There it is," Kiri said, pointing to the entry. "Ralts, the Emotion Pokemon. Looks like it only shows itself to people it considers to be good. A very rare Pokemon."

"It probably came because of you," Wally said. "Are you gonna catch it?"

"I can try." She looked down at Billina, who was still pouting over getting Bubbled. "But first you have to prove yourself. Zigzagoon, go easy, but tackle it."

The Zigzagoon yipped, "Let's play!" then rushed forward to bump the Ralts over. After scrambling up, he growled. But even his chirpy growl did not seem threatening.

Kiri took one of the kit Pokeballs and pressed the button to prep it. She thought of the symbol for the Capture spell, an 'X' within a circle. It wasn't necessary, but it made captures easier on both the Mage and the Pokemon. Then she threw the ball with a sort of downward slash to cast the spell.

The ball hurdled at the Ralts and enveloped him in a white light. After it absorbed the light, it bounced off the ground, then shattered into a cloud of dust. The Ralts had broken the Capture spell and had freed himself.

Oddly enough, he didn't run away. He looked back at the two teens. "But I know the one I should be with is not you, Mage."

Wally looked down at Kiri. "Did you cast it wrong?"

"I don't think so. Maybe he's more interested in you."

He chirped and looked directly at Wally. "I know my person now."

"Oh, uh, okay. So I cast the Capture spell..." He fumbled for a second to pull an empty Pokeball out of his bag, then copied Kiri's method of casting. This time, the ball shivered only slightly after absorbing the Ralts, then clicked to secure him.

Kiri cheered. "Now you have your first Pokemon too!"

He looked a bit dumbfounded that it had gone so easily, then smiled. "Yeah, I do. And a rare one too." He picked up the ball, then released him. "You came because of me? Why?"

He looked up at Wally, tilting his large head back in a way that was comical. He smiled. "We only go with those who match our souls."

"He'll do fine with your help," Billina commented. She hopped off Kiri's lap and bowed to Wally.

"I think she's congratulating you too," Kiri translated.

"I'll call you Amigo. I can't wait to show you to my parents."

"And now I have my true name," Amigo said happily.

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Kiri Brown  
Job: League Challenger/Pokemon Mage  
Battle strategy: I'm still working on it.  
Hobby: collecting buttons.  
Secret: She'll always be Daddy's little princess, even if she doesn't let him call her that.

Wally Chesterfield  
Job: Undecided  
Battle strategy: Um...  
Hobby: reading, especially older legends  
Secret: He has a knack for understanding the emotions of Pokemon.

Vincent Starmie  
Job: League Challenger/Pokemon Mage  
Battle strategy: Be logical; it all comes down to numbers.  
Hobby: reading, especially difficult books  
Secret: He has a talent for grooming Pokemon, but is too embarrassed to admit it.

_Pokemon_

Billina (Torchic/Guardian)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Serious  
Likes: wheels  
Dislikes: being wet

Amigo (Ralts)  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Modest  
Likes: watching clouds  
Dislikes: anger from others

Missingno (?/Guardian)  
Trainer: Vincent  
Nature: ?  
Likes: ?  
Dislikes: ?

_Spells_

Capture: The Capture spell has two effects: it releases a calming agent over the Pokemon and it increases the effectiveness of a Pokeball. It has been shown to boost a ball to the success rate of better models: a regular Pokeball will become as effective as a Great Ball. However, it still does not guarantee a successful capture, as there is always a chance for the Pokemon to resist the attempt and destroy the enchanted device.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I redo this, that Capture spell will be gone... so redundant.  
> Anyhow, short chapter, but rather important as Missingno introduces itself and we meet another important Pokemon character, Wally's Ralts. And what do you know? Something does happen in Oldale, lol.


	5. Old Dreams, New Dreams

The first place Wally and Kiri went in Petalburg was the Pokecenter. Zigzagoon was okay, but Amigo and Billina needed healing. The Nurse Joy of Petalburg was almost identical to the Nurse Joy of Oldale. "I just captured him," Wally said as he handed over Amigo's ball.

"You must be a kind-hearted soul to capture this child of Mespirit," Nurse Joy said. She took the ball in both hands and summoned a pale pink light around it. "All trainers I know of who have caught a wild Ralts have grown to be wonderful trainers who are adored by their Pokemon."

Wally blushed. "I hope I can do that well."

"He is healthy." The elf handed the ball back.

Kiri gave her Billina's ball. "Here's my Guardian. I'm still learning about her."

"She respects you. Respect her and she will grow to love you." She cast the healing spell.

"Can I learn the healing spells?"

"Do you have any Mage badges?"

She shook her head. "Not yet."

Nurse Joy handed the ball back over. "She is healthy. I cannot teach you any of my magic now. But as you earn badges, show them to my sisters in other Pokecenters. We can teach you some of our skills."

"I see. Thank you."

She nodded. "Take care of yourselves and your Pokemon."

As they left the building, Wally said, "I'm going to see my parents. Here, you'd better give this one back." He handed over the Zigzagoon's ball.

"Okay. Did you want to come with me?"

"Um... let me think about it some more. I'll meet up with you later."

They separated and went back home. Kiri paused outside her door to call Billina back out. "This is my home. Dad's probably not here, but I can introduce you to Mom."

"Fine with me," Billina replied. She hopped through the door when Kiri opened it.

"Hey Mom!" She rolled in and looked around. Her mother's Flaafy peered at her, but didn't get up from the couch. "Sorry I'm late; we got caught in that storm last night in Oldale."

"Oh, hi Kiri, good to see you made it through that." She came out of the kitchen. "And is this your Guardian? She's adorable."

Billina bowed to her.

"Dad's at the Gym, isn't he?"

"Of course. I was just about to go over with lunch. Why don't you come along?"

"Sure. I have to return this girl to him anyhow." She tapped the regular Pokeball.

They brought lunch to the Gym for Norman and his eight student trainers. The Leader laughed when Billina bowed to him. "You've gotten a very serious Guardian, Kiri."

"I know, but I like her."

"What happened to the other two?"

"Vincent wasn't chosen, so he went off on a Trainer's journey. Wally wasn't chosen either, but this morning he caught a Ralts."

He raised his eyebrows. "A Ralts, huh? That's a promising sign. Did this girl work well for you?"

"Yeah, she did a good job." She patted the Zigzagoon and got a licking in response.

One of the Gym Trainers got a mischievous smile. "So are you two going to battle now?"

Norman had a broad smile, but shook his head. "Someday, but not today."

"Why not?" Kiri asked.

"For one thing, I don't have a team ready to take on a greenhorn. The two I have still need some work. For another thing, you're my daughter and I want to see you doing well before we battle. Tell you what: after lunch, you should head north to Rustboro. There, you should challenge the Leader, Roxanne. She's a good young woman and great at teaching new Mages."

She nodded. "Okay, I'll do that."

"Good. Come back here when you can show me four badges. Then and only then will I accept a challenge from you."

Four badges. Kiri had been expecting her father to ask for two, but four? She hadn't thought that far into her journey yet. Then again, it was like him to make her wait until he knew that she was good enough. "Four, alright."

He patted her head. "You've earned the title of Mage, sport, but there's still much for you to do."

* * *

Wally released Amigo before he went inside. "I'm glad I wasn't chosen," he told him, "but I'm not sure how my parents will take it. They were expecting me to become a Mage like they did."

"They can't hate you for it," Amigo said, patting his leg.

He took a deep breath. "Well, let's get this over with." He opened the door. "Mom, Dad, are you here?"

"Oh, Wally, thank goodness you're okay," his mother said, coming right over. "That was a terrible storm yesterday."

"Yeah, but we got to Oldale in time. Kiri got chosen; she's got a really serious Torchic who bows to everybody."

"That's good," she said, although it was obvious she didn't much care. "How about you?"

"Well, um, I made it to the choosing, but then I didn't get chosen. But this morning, on our way back here, I caught Amigo here. Kiri looked him up in the Pokedex and said that he's a kind rarely seen by humans, much less caught."

Amigo tilted his head at the mother. "Do you love Wally for being Wally or Wally for being your son? I cannot appreciate a selfish love."

"That's interesting; I've never seen a Pokemon like him before. It's a promising start for a Trainer."

He felt a lump in his throat, but tried to hide his embarrassment. Maybe he didn't want to be a Mage, but his parents wanted it for him. So to have failed and disappointed them, he felt guilty about wanting to fail. "Yeah, I'm going to train him up and learn all about his kind."

Angered at this, Amigo growled. "You made my person upset. I don't like you."

"It's okay, Amigo, it's just my mom," Wally said.

"I don't care who she is. I still don't like her."

"I suppose having an overprotective Pokemon is better than none," his mother responded. "Would you like some lunch? I've got things for sandwiches."

"Yeah okay." Good thing she hadn't offered to cook something, he thought, because anything she tried to make was either too bland or too spicy.

Well, he'd gone and done it again. He remembered back when he was fifteen, when he was supposed to apply for the first time.

...

It was a gloomy and stormy night. Gusts of wind rattled the windows and thunder clapped every few minutes. Wally couldn't sleep, but not entirely because of the noisy storm. His mind was worrying way too much to stop for sleep.

He didn't want to be a Mage. His body was much too weak for that sort of career. All his life, he'd seen his parents receive letters from far away, then one or the other would drop everything and Fly off to other places in foreign lands. His father built mystical structures and any time there was a problem, he would have to go fix it. His mother was an expert on Pokemon habitats, and often her expertise was needed for various projects around the world.

In contrast, Wally wanted a nice calm life. Maybe he could be a breeder, taking care of gentle and shy Pokemon that needed special care. Or maybe he could work at an adoption center, taking care of Pokemon that others didn't want. Magic would help in those fields, but he didn't have to be a Wizard to know useful spells. Besides, being a Wizard drew all sorts of attention, which Wally was uncomfortable with.

But his parents loved him and wanted to see him do as well as they had, perhaps even better. They were excited about the prospect of his becoming a Mage. His health was poor, yes, but he could stay at home and they could teach him. They kept saying that, to the point of Wally suspecting them to have a curriculum already planned out. He wanted to please them. They had always been there when he was sick and changed their routines and diets to suit his needs.

He wanted to fail the Mage tests, but that would disappoint them. He wanted to succeed for them, but their expectations were near impossible for him to match. It was only a week before the applications were due. "Please, help me find some way to miss the application date," he prayed softly, as he had been for the past hour. "Just anything so that I can't turn it in. If I can't turn it in, then it's not my fault if I don't get chosen. Please, if any elder spirits are listening."

Wizards used prayer, he thought idly. They used prayer for things their magic wasn't quite enough to do, when the intervention of the immortals was desired. It probably wouldn't work for him. But it was worth a shot.

"I don't want to be a Mage."

Maybe he should run away. He blinked and looked out the window. The clouds were still rumbling, but the storm had softened. Could he run away from home? It was drastic, but he couldn't see many other options. Where would he go? He didn't know, but... he'd go.

He was outside, dressed in his school clothes, with his school bag over his arm. He went west to leave town. So far, easy enough; his house lay on the western edge of Petalburg. And yet, he found himself wandering around the southernmost cluster of houses. There were thick woods that way, useless for travelers. He turned back to the western road towards the ocean, but wound up by the northeastern pond. There was a dreamy kind of mist hanging over that pond, slowly spreading through Petalburg.

Dream, he was dreaming. That was the only explanation for his getting lost in his hometown. Then he wasn't really running away, just dreaming about it.

Then just go.

Wally ran for the eastern road, but once again found himself in another part of Petalburg. It didn't matter what he did, it seemed. He could not leave town. He was about to give up in frustration when he spotted someone walking down a cobbled road. There weren't any cobbled roads in Petalburg.

There were cobbled roads in Rustboro, and the buildings springing up behind the young man were much like those in that neighboring city. A few years older than Wally, he was a preppy guy, judging from his leather shoes, black slacks, and checkered sweater vest. A Trainer too, as he had six Pokeballs on his belt and eight badges on the ID card that was clipped on his backpack.

"I can't seem to leave Rustboro," the preppy guy said when he stopped.

Wally looked down at the barrier between the grass and the stone. "I can't seem to leave Petalburg."

"Strange. Well, they both have exits to the east." He held his hand out. "Maybe if we go together?"

"Okay." He took the other boy's hand and they walked east.

When they reached the eastern exit for both towns, they ran into a curious sight. There were two men on the routes, older versions of themselves. The preppy boy had become a rich businessman, dressed in an expensive suit. He was in a classic office chair, mumbling figures over a large stack of papers. There was no sign of his Pokemon. Wally had become a Wizard dressed in black robes, but he looked miserable and exhausted. He had one Pokemon, but something about the dreamy fog made this Guardian unidentifiable.

The other boy was clearly upset by this. "I've been trying to get away from that!"

"But this is the only exit from both of our towns," Wally said, his voice trembling.

"That is quite true," a deep voice said. "Your roads seem to be set, don't they?"

They both turned to see a black Pokemon drifting up to them. The dream made it harder to tell more about him, but Wally knew. "Darkrai, Master of New Moon?"

Darkrai laughed merrily. "It seems I got the right dreamers. You have both called for help and I have come."

"Is that why we're in this nightmare?" the other boy asked.

"Mmm, well that depends on how you view this. I show people their true selves, their true nature, the truth that they don't want to see. Like you both, most people I come to don't want to see the truth I present."

"That this is our destiny?" Wally asked.

"Destiny is a fickle beast, as is the future. Little things here and there change it, yes, and the interventions of others count. But as things stand now, what you see before you is your most obvious future. There are other futures, but things will have to change."

"How can we get the other futures? I don't want this to be me."

He seemed to be enjoying the moment, as he spun once before explaining further. "You both float on the river of life and a huge rock is about to fall in, redirecting you to these future paths. They are sad and lonely paths, utterly miserable grinds where one day, you will realize that all the dreams of your youth have died. And really, I can't stand to see dreams die. People without dreams lose all spunk. But I've always been one tempted to put my thumb on the scales. Large rocks are about to cut off many possibilities, but... what if we were to switch rocks?"

"What do you mean?" Wally responded, puzzled by the metaphors.

Darkrai laughed. "Switch rocks, switch your destinies! Of course, you won't go the same ways the other would have gone. That simply can't be done. And I cannot foretell what the new paths will bring. I can tell, though, that your dreams will live on, on most of the paths available. And these paths will be much harder and rougher than the two you see now; your decisions will have higher stakes and consequences. But what is challenge but a way to sharpen and polish a soul? So, will you do it?"

"Switch our destinies?" the preppy boy asked. He looked down at Wally.

Wally looked back. He really didn't want to become a Wizard, and it seemed the other really didn't want a life of business. "Okay."

The other nodded. "Okay."

"Then the deed is done. Live well."

...

After that vivid dream, he woke up with a high fever. The elf who examined him said it was mono, which could drag on for months. That effectively got him out of the tests for two years. And he felt he knew who the other boy was now. He, at least, had done great things with his altered destiny. Still, Wally felt both guilty and glad that his prayer had been answered.

While he thought this, he quietly ate a salami and Swiss cheese sandwich. Amigo chirped every time Bethany came near, still not trusting her. His mother tried to ignore the Ralts' complaints and made occasional small talk, which Wally answered with short responses. He felt terrible for bringing that awkward tension into his home, but at the same time, wanted to get far away from it.

Far away... maybe not too far. Maybe... "I'll be going with Kiri for a little while, at least," he told his mother. "If it's okay with her, I'll visit Aunt Betty and Uncle Robert in Verdanturf."

Yeah, that was the way. Betty was his mother's sister, but was just a magician like he was now, and kind-hearted. And Uncle Robert, although not book-learned like Vincent, was wise and could give him advice on what to do now. Wally could speak openly with them. If only his mother wouldn't try talking him out of that... she always succeeded in talking him into doing things he was reluctant to.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said.

'Thank goodness you feel that way,' Wally thought in silence.

"It doesn't matter which way you go, either Rustboro or Mauville, as either way has a Gym you can start with. I'm not sure you'd want to start with Norman, though. He seems tough."

Erm, except he wasn't sure if he wanted to do that. How strong was Amigo? He wasn't sure he was strong enough as a Trainer either for that Challenge. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to take Norman on even with his beginner's team."

He finished up his sandwich and left quickly.

* * *

Vincent looked over the lake that blocked much of Route 103. Then he looked over his dry clothes. "I thought a Mage couldn't use Surf until he earned the right badge for it."

"The badges are just a courtesy," Missingno said. "Most Mages only learn Surf from a Leader."

"I see. So how am I to battle with you and keep you a secret?"

"I have a plan. Now, if you could have any of the usual Guardians, which would you choose?"

"Any of them? I like the Totodile line best."

"All right." Missingno caused itself to shimmer, then formed its body into a Totodile. "There. This should fool most other Pokemon, at least."

"Wow, you're amazing. How do you have all these powers? They don't seem like anything I've read about."

"I'm not anything like other Pokemon."

Vincent scratched his chin. "This is interesting, but I think the Gym in that town is electric. You won't fare well as a Totodile."

"That's what you would think. Now, perhaps you should have a disguise as well."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Brian Chesterfield  
Job: Mystical Engineer/Pokemon Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Use strong defenses  
Hobby: playing the accordion  
Secret: There's rumors about why he's away from home so much...

_Pokemon_

Flaafy  
Trainer: Samantha  
Nature: Bold  
Likes: berries  
Dislikes: wearing hats

_Legends_

Darkrai: Master of the New Moon. He appears primarily in dreams, although a few accounts of him appearing in the waking world exist. A mischievous being, he challenges the things people tell themselves in order to force them to confront those lies. Most people call Darkrai's dreams nightmares, but they have also been known as calls to inner change and growth. His favorite saying is "Know yourself."

_Pokemon League_

Gym Tiers: League Challengers can take on the Gyms in any order they wish, although each region tends to have recommended paths for ease in travel. As Leaders will face Trainers with varying experience levels, the Tier system of Leader teams has been implemented in the regulations each Gym must follow.

1st Tier is for challengers with only one or no badges. Use of healing by Leader is forbidden. Can have up to two Pokemon.

2nd Tier is for challengers with two or three badges. Use of healing by Leader is heavily limited. Can have up to three Pokemon

3rd Tier is for challengers with four or five badges. Use of healing by Leader is limited. Can have up to four Pokemon.

4th Tier is for challengers with six or seven badges. Use of healing by Leader is barely limited. Can have up to five Pokemon.

5th Tier is for challengers with eight or more badges, in case of multi-regional Challengers. Can have a full team of six Pokemon.

6th Tier is for challengers with twelve or more badges that request it. Only has a few restrictions.

7th Tier is the Leader's top team. No restrictions are placed upon this level. Should a Challenger wish to fight 7th Tier, they should recall that Gym Leaders are always Master Wizards and therefore masters of battling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After I made up that tier system, I had a playthrough where Roxanne used a Super Potion, so it's not entirely correct there. But it's something that I've used quite a bit ever since this story, as it just makes sense. And it's even supported in canon now, as evidenced by the Flint and Volkner battle in Platinum and Gym Leader rematches in HG/SS.  
> I think this part of the story really got me interested in Wally's role in this. His conflict over whether or not he wants to be a Mage, and his relationship with his parents... it's not canon by a long shot, but it's an alternate version anyhow what with magic going on.  
> Norman doesn't specify how many badges you have to get before you challenge him (as far as I remember; he might say something if you return to him with less than four). But I always did like how they made him a 'mid-boss' instead of one you can challenge right away. His request that you go to other Gyms first starts off your journey, and the incidents with Team Magma and/or Aqua draw you to continue even after you beat him.


	6. Learning to Fight

After lunch with her family, Kiri wheeled over to Wally's house. He was sitting in front of the protective wall of bushes. "Hey Kiri."

"Hi again Wally. So are you and Amigo coming with me?"

He nodded. "Yeah, a little ways. Can you come with me to Verdanturf? I have some relatives there and the air there is clean and healthy."

"Sure thing. Dad told me to go to Rustboro and the Rusturf Tunnel should be open." She explained about her father's condition for the challenge.

"Huh," Wally said at the end of it, as they were walking along the coastline towards Petalburg Woods. "Your dad's kinda tough on you, isn't he?"

"He's tough on everybody, especially himself. I don't mind. What's really gonna be tough is getting through these woods in this wheelchair."

"Actually, it's not that bad. There's a well-worn dirt path through the woods. Several, as I hear it, but the main one leads straight to Rustboro."

"You've been down here before?"

"It's pretty common for people in Petalburg to travel to Rustboro for some better shopping."

In the meantime, the two Pokemon were talking as well. "Will we have to battle?" Amigo asked.

"Most likely."

He put his hand to his cheek. "Oh... I'm not sure if I'd be any good at that. I haven't fought much."

Billina tilted her head to the side. "Really? How did you survive out in the wild then?"

"We hide, mostly."

"Hmm, I suppose that works," but her tone made it clear that she didn't think too highly of that kind of avoidance.

Amigo blushed. "I am rather young, to be honest. I don't know spells like some of the others. Although, I've had this vague symbol in my head for a long time. I can tell what it looks like now, but I'm not sure how it would be cast yet."

"That would be one of your innate spells or skills," she explained. "You just need to figure it out now. I have one that I've been considering."

"Then how do you get it to clear up?"

"Either wait a long time or fight. The conflict of energy will clear up the symbol for you much faster."

"Oh dear," he replied quietly.

"Don't stress out over it. I'm with you. You watch me battle and that might stir up your mind too."

"But I'm not part of your team, right? I thought Guardians only helped their teammates."

"We're traveling together because our partners are friends. That means I'll help you too."

"Good, that makes me feel better."

"Hey, Greenie!" a male voice jeered. "Told ya you couldn't make the cut."

They looked back to see the two guys who had bullied Wally a couple of nights ago. Kiri frowned. "He made it a lot further than you two could have," she retorted.

"Right," the other said skeptically. "The Guardian system is rigged, you know. How could you get picked otherwise? I bet your daddy bribed the Grand Wizard."

"He's asking for a beating," Billina commented.

"Even if that could work, he wouldn't," Kiri replied defensively.

"You still don't deserve it. We'll show you."

"Yeah, both of you," the other bully added. They pulled out a Pokeball each.

"Um, I've watched a lot of matches on TV," Wally whispered to Kiri. "But I'm not sure what Amigo can do."

"You kinda have to let them do as they want in the first few battles, so you know what they're capable of," Kiri replied quietly as the two bullies summoned two Poochenyas. "Billina, your choice."

"There isn't much to choose from," Billina commented, but took a battle ready stance and looked over the two hounds.

"You too, Amigo," Wally added.

"Um, okay," the Ralts replied shakily, a little fearful of the two Dark types.

"Just Growl," Billina said, then hopped aside as one of the two Poochenyas ran forward to Tackle. She Scratched him before he headed back over.

"I told you to bite the stupid chicken," one of the bullies said.

"But I only have my puppy teeth," he replied.

"You're not much older than us?" Amigo asked, then decided to Growl. Still wasn't intimidating, but it was doing something.

"We are better than you!" the second Poochenya called as he rushed forward to tackle Amigo. Billina hopped over and gave him a Scratch to the face.

"Hah hah, you got hit by that stupid chicken too," the first Poochenya taunted.

"Shut up, idiot."

"If you think I'm stupid, why don't you try hitting me together to knock me out faster?" she asked.

"Billina, you can't be serious!" Amigo cried, worried for her safety.

She narrowed her eyes at the two dogs, who were considering the idea. "I don't joke around. You just watch."

"Okay, stupid chicken, you're asking for it!" The two Poochenyas then ignored their Trainer's orders again to double Tackle Billina. She responded with a single Scratch attack on both their snouts, causing one to whine and the other to give her an unskilled bite to her wing, causing her to bleed.

Amigo's shoulder ached in a sympathetic pain on seeing that blood. 'She shouldn't have done that,' he thought, with his mind acting frantically. 'I should have been able to do something to actually help. Something...' Then the symbol that had been vaguely in his mind for a month gave him a clear idea of something he could do.

Bracing himself for the initial casting, he called out, "Your mother was a chicken, doofus!" With that, he cast the spell Confusion.

"You're stupid if you think your stupid mind tricks can do anything to us mighty Poochenyas," the first declared proudly.

"Duckies!" the second said in a blissful confusion, snapping at something invisible over his head.

"What the heck are you talking about?" his teammate asked.

"I see rubber duckies!"

"No you don't."

"I do too."

"Do not."

"Do too!" He fiercely Tackled his peer for doubting the duckies. He attacked so fiercely that the first Poochenya fainted.

"So that's what that does," Amigo said.

"Nice work," Billina praised him. "And I think I know what to do too." She clicked her beak, then shot out a single fireball with the Ember spell to knock out the confused Poochenya, who was spinning around in pursuit of his imaginary duckies.

"Hey, you didn't really battle us!" one of the bullies said.

"Maybe, but thanks a lot for helping us," Kiri replied with a smile. "If you work hard, you might even be a decent challenge some day."

"You just wait. I'm going to be the best Trainer that ever was." Then he ran back to get his Poochenya healed.

"You idiot, that's going to be me!" His so-called friend called, running after him.

Kiri stretched her arms up. "And now that we know what they can do, we can actually start helping them out."

"Right." Wally scratched his chin. "Can we still fight as a pair for now?"

"Sure, if you like."

"Thanks."

* * *

Petalburg Woods was thick with trees, making it dimly lit. There was a well-kept path winding around, but the sides were still filled with weeds, Wurmples, and the occasional Slakoth. They moved quickly, not wanting to get caught here after dark. About halfway through, they ran into a man in a brown jacket that had a Devon Corporation logo. "Hi there!" Kiri called cheerfully.

He smiled. "Oh, hello kids. Mind if I ask you something?"

"Are you lost?" Wally asked. "This is the main path between Petalburg and Rustboro, so just go north or south as you need to."

"No, I know my way around here. I was just wondering if you've seen any Shroomish around."

"That's a mushroom Pokemon, isn't it?" Kiri asked. "I haven't seen any today."

He scratched his head. "Odd. I've seen them around and I finally decided on catching and training one. But they don't seem to be around today. I thought for sure, after that storm, that today was a good day."

"Maybe they'll come later," Wally thought aloud. "I always see them in my backyard in the morning and evening, not in the middle of the day."

"That could be..."

"Ah, come on already," a new voice called. "I've been waiting on you all day. You just had to dawdle in these woods, didn't you."

"I don't need to deliver this until," he paused, getting a good look at man. He wore black jeans, a black shirt, and a white face mask. The Devon man paled. "Wh-who are you?"

The masked man snapped his fingers, causing a lightning bolt to strike at the Devon worker's feet. For a brief moment, a symbol of the Electric type appeared on his mask. "I am from the Church of the Creation Play. Lokire has told us that you plot devious plans, but we can use that parcel to further our righteousness. Now give me that suitcase."

Billina puffed herself up and hopped in front of the humans. "That's not the way things are to be done!"

Kiri rolled over. "Yeah, you leave him alone."

"What's some helpless girl like you going to do to me?" he asked.

"I am a Mage," she said firmly, snapping her fingers to cast Ember. Billina copied her action.

The Devon employee finally got a hold of himself and pulled out a Pokeball. "Come, Zangoose!"

A white Pokemon with red markings appeared. Noticing his Trainer being threatened, he growled. "Back off, twerp."

"Quick Attack!"

Zangoose darted forward. The CCP grunt yelped and tried to cast another spell, but got his hand smacked hard for the trouble. Only a nearby tree took the icy sphere. After cussing loudly, the grunt ran off. "This isn't the end of this!"

"Good work, Zangoose," he said, patting his Pokemon on the head when he came back.

Zangoose smiled and made a contented sound.

"And thank you, young Mage. I'm a Researcher for Devon." He looked off where the grunt had run to. "I should have been more careful, though."

"That's okay," Kiri said.

"Yeah, we're glad he didn't shoot anybody," Wally added.

"Guess I'll look for my Shroomish after I make my delivery. Good luck to both of you. Come Zangoose!" He and his Pokemon ran ahead.

"CCP is trouble," Wally said. "I've read about them in the papers. You should be more careful, Kiri. You don't want to become an enemy of them."

"But I had to help him. That's my duty as a Mage. But we're fine. Let's go on to Rustboro."

* * *

Outside of Petalburg Forest was a freshwater lake with a wooden bridge. There was a cottage there, with a sign that called it the Pretty Petal Flower Shop. Three girls were taking care of a magnificent garden. "Hello!" the youngest called out.

"Hi!" Kiri called back, waving. "Lovely garden."

And it was true. The girls had roses, berries, lilacs, pansies, peonies, and forget-me-nots all in bloom, accented with greenery like creeping ivies, Phanpy ears, and evergreen bushes. Even though some of the spring flowers should be fading as the summer solstice drew near, they all seemed strong and healthy.

"Thanks, we're trying to keep them going until mid-June when other flowers will be ready." Then she noticed Billina. "Oh, are you both Mages?"

"She is," Wally said. "I'm just a magician."

"That's good too. Would you learn our spell?"

Kiri stopped her wheelchair by the berry bushes. "Sure."

"Not many people actually do," one of her older sisters said. "Sweet Scent makes buds open and flowers turn into berries. It's a gift from Shaymin."

"You can only use it once a day per plant, though," the youngest one pointed out. "So most people don't see why it's worth the bother. But each casting makes the plant stronger, so it makes more flowers and berries. If you cast the spell often enough, you can even make delicate flowers grow in dangerous places."

"And it does other things," the third sister added. "It makes most people and Pokemon a little happier. Especially if they like flowers."

"That sounds like a good thing, even if you have to wait," Wally said.

"Great, so you'll learn it?"

They both nodded. "We'd love to."

The oldest sister then explained, "It's simple enough. I have the symbol on my watch." She pointed out a simple outline of a five-petal flower. "We haven't gotten to those three plants, so you can try it out on them."

"Can we do anything in thanks?" Kiri asked.

"Just help flowers to grow everywhere," she answered. "It will help spread the influence of Shaymin, who brings peace and tranquility."

* * *

Once they crossed the wooden bridge, they were in Rustboro. It was a classy town with cobbled streets and grand buildings, bigger than Littleroot, Oldale, and Petalburg combined. It had the smell of industry, with wooden, metal, and chemical scents mingling together. But it was remarkably clean all the same, and the people hurrying about seemed to be in a comfortable middle-class existence.

"Wow, this place is amazing," Kiri said.

"I know; it impresses me every time." Wally pointed out some landmarks. "There's the Trainer's School; I always thought Vincent was going to join. And down that way is Devon Corporation's headquarters, although you can't go past the first floor unless you're an employee. And the Gym's back behind the school."

"You wanna try the Gym out?"

"Um, sure, I guess."

The Gym was built from bricks painted white and had a yellow-orange roof. Instead of an array of plants, it had an exquisite rock garden running along its walls. A miniature shrine sat on the left side of the entrance to a Legend Kiri wasn't familiar with. A small sign noted that the shrine was for Regirock. On the right side of the entrance, the Gym sign stated this was, 'Rustboro City Pokemon Gym. Leader: Roxanne, the rock-loving honors student.' While the two teens looked over the shrine and sign, Billina hopped onto a window ledge and peered in to look.

"Isn't that a little cocky to put that on your sign?" Wally asked.

"They don't choose what goes there; the League does."

The Torchic came back over to her. "I don't like the looks of this. I don't think I can burn rocks."

Kiri looked over her Guardian. She sounded nervous and wasn't hopping as high as usual. "You don't feel confident enough to take on this Gym now?"

"Maybe if I fought some rocks elsewhere and figured out how to hurt them, I'd be okay. But not now."

She patted Billina's head. "I guess if you don't feel ready, I shouldn't push you. We'll train until then." Then she looked up at Wally. "Do you want to head over to Verdanturf tomorrow? It's too late today, but it could be a while before I challenge this Gym."

He considered it, then shook his head. "No. I really should get this badge, at least. It would satisfy my parents."

"Did they push you into doing this?"

"Well, um, it's not like I mind," except that he obviously did mind on some level. "I want to have at least one. But if Billina wants training, I guess I should do the same with Amigo."

"Our powers are different," the Ralts pointed out, "but some practice will do no harm."

"Well let's go sign in at the Pokecenter. Do you know if the Trainer's school allows visitors?"

"They do. They're pretty nice, actually. But we'll have to wait for tomorrow to observe any classes."

* * *

The School had three levels with twelve classrooms on the first floor and twenty on the ones above. No elevators, though, Kiri noted with dismay. After checking with the receptionist, she rolled through the hall. If a door was open, they were free to slip in quietly and observe the class.

There were several going on: type studies, grammar, algebra, battle strategies, and the science of magic. Wally went to observe the type studies class. After peering in on the strategy class (they were talking about status effects like freeze and poison), Kiri went quietly into the magic class. The teacher was a large man with a bald head, but the students seemed interested in what he had to say.

"As we learned last week, mana is formed by our emotions and thoughts. It is our life force, so everyone, human, Pokemon, elf, everyone has mana. Most Pokemon have active mana and all elves had active mana. However, in most people, this mana is passive.

"In some people, perhaps as much as half of all humans, a small part of their mana is active. These people are magicians, as they can use their life force to cast spells and then regenerate it quickly. Non-magicians cannot regenerate mana, but it takes extreme circumstances for them to lose mana as well. And in a few people, the amount of active mana and regeneration they possess is enough to call a Guardian to them. These people become Mages and, when they have enough skill, Wizards.

"The Guardians are special Pokemon. They are stronger than most, although not the strongest. The Guardians cannot breed, but new ones appear in response to prayer spells. We are not certain of how this happens. The commonly accepted theory is that the Guardians are the angels of Arceus, thus they can only come directly from him. Others state that the Guardians come from another world, where they are ordinary and common Pokemon. Still others say that the Guardians are born of the Mage's own soul. They have some evidence for this last theory in that when one is defeated, the other feels physical pain. However, Guardians can also be so different from their partner that it is difficult to believe that it came out of the Wizard's soul."

One of the boys held up his hand. "Mr. Claw? Is it true that if either the Guardian or the Wizard dies that the other will die within an hour?"

"Most of the time," the teacher answered. "There have been rare instances where one survives, although often you wonder if it's a good thing. They are devastated to the point that they withdraw inside their own minds, so that you cannot get a response even if you touch them. And it seems they can no longer cast magic at that point, or even feel it."

Kiri felt a chill on hearing that. Thankfully, the lesson moved away from such a dismal subject as a student asked, "Mr. Claw, if mana is our life force, then why don't people kill themselves using magic?"

"Physical death can't happen from that, but the spellcaster will find his or her mind exhausted. The force that mana is derived from comes from your mind, remember? As such, when reading a Pokedex, you will find both physical stamina estimates and mental stamina estimates. Depleting one's MP can be corrected with an Ether."

The teacher then pointed to a marker and made a 'come here' gesture. The marker jumped into his hand. With that, he began drawing an example on the whiteboard.

"Let's say that you ask a question and I answer, thus satisfying your curiosity. That satisfaction brings about one unit of mana. If it's an active mana, you can then use it to cast a small spell or use a mystical skill, like the telekinesis that I just used."

"But you've told us that telekinesis doesn't use up an entire unit of mana," a girl pointed out.

He nodded. "Correct, so the extra energy has left you, but has nothing to do. But such bits of energy are not completely wasted. Plants and certain Pokemon absorb such residual energy for their own use. We also harvest it in the form of those yellow crystals that hang on every streetlight, which eventually is processed into electricity, but that's a subject for another lecture. Not only does this kind of use produce residual mana energy, but just living does as well."

Mr. Claw went back to the start of his diagram. "Let's say that instead of feeling satisfied, something has made you extremely angry. That will produce a lot of mana, far more than even the most powerful Wizards can use. The excess leaves you and goes into whatever is around you." He added a picture of an angry Sunflora. "That is why Plant Pokemon are particularly sensitive to their Trainer's moods; they absorb this excess energy constantly. If you are angry around such a Pokemon too often, the Pokemon will grow bitter."

"Psychics too?"

"Now with Psychics, it depends. Every kind of Pokemon is associated with a particular Legend, right? It can even be one that's not exactly their type. However, Psychics relate to one of three Legends, always: Uxie, Azelf, and Mespirit. That is because psychic powers can be split into three types: Intelligence for things like telepathy, Willpower for things like telekinesis, and Emotion for things like empathy.

"If you have one of Mespirit's children, like Ralts, then yes, it will have mood swings to match your own, even down to repressed emotions you're not allowing yourself to know. Azelf's children, like Spoink, will be affected by your mood to some extent. But the Intelligence reliant Uxie's child, like Abra, will hardly be affected by your emotions. Some of them can hardly understand the feelings of others as well." He turned back to the class. "So what else is on your minds today?"

A student raised her hand. "I read somewhere that the Guardians act as a kind of conscience for Wizards too."

The teacher nodded. "Yes. They won't tell us, but it seems the Guardians come into this world with a certain code of behavior and some information on humans in their minds. It varies a little bit from Guardian to Guardian, but if the Wizard does not behave in accordance to their code, the Guardian will be displeased. This is often enough to discourage unwanted behaviors, but sometimes they will punish their partner for repeated bad habits. A severe enough infraction can cause the Guardian to break the bond."

"So how do evil Wizards come about?"

"That's a tricky subject, one that is still being studied. Generally if someone with evil intentions tries to make a bond and somehow gets past the Grand Wizard's notice, the guardians can still see the person's heart and will refuse to bond. In order for a Wizard to become truly evil, their Guardian must be corrupted as well."

"Like Giovanni's Nidoking?"

"Correct. Rumor has it that when he was still a Mage, Giovanni and his Nidoran Guardian were thrown off a cliff or telekinetically thrown into a concrete wall. Something happened to give them both severe brain trauma, which corrupted both and set them on a path to become feared by regions they touched. Even with both of them defeated and secured in prison, people in Kanto and Johto as still said to seek methods to protect themselves against evil magic."

"Then what about the CCP Wizards?" another student asked.

Mr. Claw shook his head. "The Creation Play fanatics are not true Wizards. They are devil-worshipers, and thus they have probably sacrificed something major to attain their powers. Not much is known for certain, but it's fair to assume that their powers come from those white masks they wear all the time."

After the class, the students went outside for a break. Kiri followed them out. One of the boys stopped by her. "Hey, you're a Mage?"

"Yeah, isn't it obvious?" she responded, tapping her special Pokeball. "I'm just visiting."

"That's cool. You want to battle?"

She had to train with Billina anyhow. "Sure. They okay with us doing that out here?"

"It's fine." He pulled off one of his pokeballs. "Go Rocky!" A brown-ish gray rock with two arms appeared. Rocky clapped his hands together, eager for a fight.

"Billina!" Kiri called, releasing the Torchic. She eyed the other two, then bowed to them politely. Figuring that Ember might not do much here, Kiri said, "Just scratch him."

"Do Rock Throw!"

Billina made a quick observation, to find the best way to approach her opponent. On the other hand, Rocky immediately called up a rock half his size and threw it at Billina. She got hit in the head and was knocked out without a chance to attack.

Although earlier injuries hadn't done anything to Kiri, this time it felt like the rock had hit her in the head instead of Billina. The pain made her gasp, but left her unable to speak. The boy was excited about this. "Yeah, I beat a Mage!"

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" another boy called, putting himself between his peer and Kiri. "You should know better than to pick a fight with someone new to battles."

"How do you know she's new?"

"Well she's got just one and the Mage initiation was only two days ago. Besides, that was mean to do that after what Mr. Claw taught us today."

"She agreed to the fight, so it's her fault if she lost. The teachers can't punish me for that."

"Well I can!" He went over and punched the other in the face.

"Stop this nonsense immediately," Mr. Claw said, grabbing both boys by the arms. "You're both getting detentions for this."

"What?" the second boy said. "But he..."

"Quiet." He saw Kiri, still stunned, then nodded to one of the female students. "Could you see this guest to the Pokecenter?"

"Yes, Mr. Claw," she said. She came over and took the handles of the wheelchair, something Kiri usually didn't allow a stranger to do. "Come on, let's go heal her up."

A little while later, the elf at the Center had Billina healed up. Joy also put some healing magic on Kiri to dismiss the empathy pain. Kiri then called out Billina. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize he'd have such a strong Pokemon."

"I knew rocks were trouble," the Torchic replied. "I'll just have to train hard."

"Huh, but it's a good thing I accepted his challenge rather than Roxanne's." After thinking for a bit, she started a letter to Vincent.

'Hi Vincent!

It's Kiri. Remember me? I hope you and Missingno are doing okay. It seemed rather unhappy, so do your best to cheer it up!

I'm writing cause I have a question I thought you might be able to answer. My dad told me to start with Rustboro's Gym. Billina looked inside yesterday, then seemed nervous. This afternoon, I fought a boy with a Geodude who knocked her out in one shot. So is her kind weak to rock attacks? What can I do about Roxanne? I only really know about Normal and Ice type Pokemon, since Dad has all normals except for his Ice type Guardian.

Thanks much, Kiri.'

Vincent liked helping people with what he knew, Kiri thought. Therefore, this ought to be a good way to become friends with him. She sent the letter off with the Mail spell. As long as the names were written clearly on the envelope, there wasn't much that could keep it from reaching its intended recipient. The magic would find the person, wait outside anti-magic shields if need be, and deliver its letter as soon as possible.

In the evening, she got a response.

'Hi Kiri.

Yeah, I remember you (you're kind of hard to forget). We're doing fine. Missingno is teaching me all sorts of spells. It's amazing that he remembers so many of them. He does seem unhappy from time to time, but I think he enjoys helping me. I know your Guardian must feel the same.

Yes, Fire types are weak to Rock, Flying, and Water type attacks. You'll have to be careful of Rustboro (Rock), Fortree (Flying), and Sootopolis (Water). Plus the Mossdeep Gym is always Psychic; eventually this will cause Billina problems as well. You've got a tough road ahead of you. But don't give up; it'll be really impressive if you win the League challenge with that much going against you.

I don't mind helping you out; most girls wouldn't look my way, much less send me a letter. To beat Rustboro Gym, I can think of two options. One, you can train yourself and Billina a lot so that she evolves. According to my research, she can learn Fighting moves then and she should be faster than any beginner's team of a Gym Leader. You'll be able to knock them out before they get a chance to attack. But it could be a while before you can do this.

Two, you can catch a Pokemon that will be effective against Rocks. This should be pretty easy where you are; Grass and Water Pokemon are both effective and should be plentiful in that area. Other Fight type Pokemon would work as well, except that I don't recall any living around the Petalburg-Rustboro area. I bet if you check your Pokedex, it should have a listing of those Pokemon already. Besides, building a team of varying types is a smart move. I might be able to get away with just using Missingno, but he's a special Pokemon.

Write again any time you need strategic advice! Vincent'

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Gerald Wilson  
Job: Devon Researcher  
Hobby: mushroom-hunting  
Secret: Although scatterbrained, he comes up with some of Devon's best ideas.

Mr. Claw  
Job: Teacher  
Hobby: reading  
Secret: He was Roxanne's school adviser.

_Pokemon_

Zangoose  
Trainer: Gerald  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: jingle balls  
Dislikes: having his tails pulled

Rocky (Geodude)  
Trainer: Student (M)  
Nature: Naughty  
Likes: throwing stuff  
Dislikes: water guns

_Places_

Rustboro: An industrial town, it is the home to Devon Corporation, the biggest producer of Pokemon products in Hoenn. As such, it competes with Mauville as the most technologically advanced city. Every building has a connection to Devon somehow, whether through funding, ownership, creation, or sponsorship. Because of this, you will never find a Silph product being sold here.

_Organizations_

The Church of the Creation Play: A mysterious underground cult, Creation Play worships Lokire, the Devil Pokemon, saying that it has been misjudged and is the true master of this universe. They state that the current view of the creation of the world is a fabricated 'play' told by Arceus and his followers. CCP members are not Wizards; however, they can use magic just like those with Guardians due to their irremovable white masks. Because they lack Guardians, psychological and physical problems run rampant in the group: common afflictions are multiple personality disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, compulsive disorders, seizures, and migraines. Their Pokemon are often unnaturally strong, either from hacking spells or even the curse of Shadow.

_Author's Notes_

Sweet Scent spell: This is actually a fusing between spells of two different games, the other being Bloom from Okami. In Okami, you can use Bloom to save cursed plants, cause flowers and clovers to open, and even make cherry trees blossom in winter! One side effect is if you cast it on a human, they drop everything to come over and pet Amaterasu (she's a wolf and a sun goddess).

_And that Confusion spell shouldn't have worked on that Poochenya... eh, minor problem. I had skipped over Magma and Aqua in favor of this group. It worked at the time._

_This chapter has explanation of how magic works and the relationship between Guardians and wizards. I still like the system, although I'd like to refine it more if it gets used again. Here, it was made up as I went along, lol. But much of what was stated here shows up throughout the story._

_Creation Play is an anagram for Action Replay. So yeah, when that says hacking spells, it means hacking spells._


	7. Dealing with Rocks

Early in the morning, Kiri left Rustboro to train. Billina hopped alongside her wheelchair. "Okay, Billina, here's the plan. We're gonna catch a Lotad today."

"Do they spit?" she asked.

"Vincent told me that you're gonna have a hard time against Roxanne's Rock Pokemon, as they'll hurt you bad and you won't be able to hurt them back. On the other hand, water types and grass types will have an easy time. Lotads are both water and grass. Therefore, if we catch one, it should help a lot."

The Torchic didn't argue this point.

"I don't know if they have water-based attack spells, but I'll call you back if you start getting too wet."

There was a fair sized group living in and around the lake outside Rustboro. They mostly kept away from the main path, choosing instead to lurk in tall grasses near the lake's edge. There were other Pokemon here too: Marills, Seedots, Wingulls, Zigzagoons (of course), and Poochenyas. Marill and Wingull were both Water and Seedot was Grass according to the Pokedex, but Kiri had already set her mind on a Lotad. Near the lake's edge, they stopped to observe the group. It was something Norman had recommended.

...

Laura the Glaceon patiently dragged the giggling six-year-old back to her father, gripping her skirt gently with her teeth. "Now stay put."

"You'd better not worry Laura too much," Norman said quietly. "She might freeze your feet to the spot if you wander off again."

"Kay," Kiri replied, plopping down on the ground next to her Dad. "What're we doing?"

"Keeping quiet." He pointed towards a group of varied Pokemon. "I'm thinking of capturing one of those Stantlers, to see how good they are."

She looked at the Pokemon in question. It was a tall deer with a shaggy coat and an ornate rack of antlers. Then she looked back at Dad and spoke quietly. "How're you gonna do that?"

"First, we gotta watch them and let them watch us. I'm starting to see which one is older, which one is faster, which one is stronger. You know, get a feel for which one I'd like. At the same time, they're watching me to see if they wish to come with me." He tapped a Pokeball that was sitting on the ground. "They know what this is. They can see that it's not attached to any Pokemon, so they know my intent. Then we'll see which one feels like following through on the decree of Arceus."

"What's that?"

"Arceus is the one who made the world, remember? It's said that long ago, he declared that humans and Pokemon could form a team to improve each other. He said that Pokemon will not grow to their full potential unless in such a team. They all know this as well, but many of them are still afraid."

"Why?"

"Because not everyone is a nice Trainer. Because of that, I find this works best."

"So you don't have to battle them?"

"There's a good chance that I'll still have to battle, or prove myself to them in some way. They'll want to make sure I'm a Trainer they can respect and follow." Then he put his hand on Kiri's shoulder. Three of the Stantlers had decided to come closer. "Stay with Laura and she'll protect you." Then he got up and went to meet with them.

...

With this memory in mind, Kiri took one of her empty Pokeballs and toyed with it. She watched the lake Pokemon, making sure to keep eye contact only with the Lotads.

At the lake's shore, three Lotads, a Marill, and a Seedot watched her back. "I think they're looking for one of you," the Seedot said to the Lotads before waddling back to his own business.

"So what should we do?" one of the males asked.

The other male tilted his lilypad back, then dropped back down. "I'm gonna challenge them."

"But you could get captured."

"I wanna go see other lakes." He turned to the female. "Is that okay with you, mom?"

"Old Grandad won't like that," she replied.

"I know, but he won't be able to get after me if I'm gone. Besides, he doesn't like me as it is."

She nodded. "I suppose it's best if you leave with a Trainer. Be careful, son."

"I will." He then hopped over to the girl in the wheelchair.

Kiri waited until the Lotad stopped in front of her. "We challenge you, lilypad!

The small blue amphibian hissed and tried to hide under said lilypad. "I can give you a challenge..."

"Billina, weaken it."

Obediently, Billina threw an Ember spell at the Lotad. The Lotad attempted to astonish the Torchic by jumping at her suddenly from his hiding position. Billina met him with her clawed feet. He jumped back and spat a water ball at her, but missed, getting another Ember for trying to spit at her. Worn down, but not ready to give up, the Lotad then spun in place and leapt at Billina again.

Or, he tried to leap at her. He got confused and jumped a foot to her right. Upon landing, he stumbled around, too dizzy to be still. "Diiiizzzzyyy," he moaned.

Billina looked at him, puzzled. "Then why'd you do that?"

Kiri took an empty Pokeball and threw it at the Lotad with the Capture spell. As he was too dizzy to fight back, it secured him easily. She brought him out again. "I hope you didn't make yourself sick."

"Nope, I'm good."

"She won't understand you, you know," Billina pointed out. "Not that she's bad, but it's an innate human fault."

"I should have one... there!" Kiri brought out a bottle of Potion, then sprayed it over the Lotad's injuries. "I don't know any cure spells, but that should do nicely."

"Hey, that feels funny!" He glanced over his feet, previously cut by Billina's Scratch. The wound was gone, leaving just a bare line. "Oh wow. I knew Trainers could do nifty things, but that's just wow."

"She's a Mage, not a Trainer."

"So what can you do?"

He perked up. "I can do this!" He spun around rapidly in one place, tilting his body until he was standing on his front two legs. But then he lost his balance because his lilypad was wider than his body and toppled onto his back. "Oooo, dizzy again."

"Oh dear," Billina sighed, feeling that this was a bad idea.

On the other hand, Kiri giggled. "You're a little clown. Okay, I'll call you Samba."

Samba rolled over onto his feet. "Huh?"

"You have a name now."

He tilted his lilypad back. "Really? Awesome!"

"That's great that you've earned a name," the female Lotad said, coming up to them.

"Yeah. So, I guess I'll be saying goodbye, mom."

"Yes, goodbye. Here, take this with you. It might come in handy." She took an Oran berry in her mouth and tossed it to him.

"Thanks. Maybe I'll see you again someday."

"Maybe. Take care of yourself, and your team now." She then went back to the lake and swam away.

"That was nice of her," Kiri said. "So now I have to train you both. We'd best get a move on."

At the end of the day, the group went back to Kiri's room at the Pokecenter. "I didn't notice any of the other Lotads using Water Gun like you can," Billina commented. "How come?"

"That? I learned that spell from my dad. He's not a Lotad."

"How'd that happen?"

Samba hopped up. "Oh, it's a very sweet story! See, my mom, who was that Lotad who said goodbye, was friends with this boy Marill for years and years and years and years, like four, and they'd play and talk all the time, and nobody really minded it 'cept Old Grandad Lombre who was certain that something terrible would come of the friendship, and something kinda terrible did happen when a Slakoth got annoyed at my dad for waking him up in the middle of the day, which is crazy, because who sleeps in the middle of the day?"

He then paused to take a deep breath, then continued.

"And so this crazy Slakoth swiped at my dad's legs and broke them, and my mom was all upset and stuff, so she picked him up and carried him to this place, cause she was so worried that it made her really brave, and had the elf here heal him back to new again, and he was so grateful that he would sing to her every day, so then they fell in love and I was born! But then everybody in the lake would tease me cause my parents were so different, but mom and dad said don't mind them, cause I was the symbol of their love, so I didn't, and everybody stopped cause it didn't bother me, except for Old Grandad who is the grumpiest Lombre in the whole wide world, but then my dad decided to teach me Water Gun so that I had something no other Lotad in the pond had. So that's how I know that spell."

Billina waited for a second to see if he'd keep going, then asked, "Are you sure you weren't teased because you talk so much?"

He tilted his lilypad. "Huh? Why would people tease me because of that? I don't speak any differently, do I? Cause you ought to hear Old Grandad! He can talk on for hours and hours and hours without repeating himself. At least, I think not. Sometimes I fell asleep while he was talking, and he'd get all mad and stuff at me and start lecturing and complaining until I wasn't sure what he was talking about in the first place. And when he gets really really mad, he can talk so hard that it hurts to listen."

She sighed. "Oh, never mind."

* * *

Kiri and Wally were in the Laundromat washing their clothes. Samba was nearby practicing his 'dance' moves, although his lilypad kept throwing him off balance. "He is a little clown," Wally commented with a laugh. "But he sure doesn't give up."

"I'm glad. I caught him to help out with this Gym. He seems to like us already, although I'm not sure about how Billina feels."

"He's not very serious about things," Billina said. "Of course, neither are you sometimes. We have to get serious to beat the Gyms."

"I am serious!" Samba protested. "I'm serious about dancing!" He started hopping around in a circle, which, with a stretch of imagination, could possibly be a dance.

"Could you look away for a minute, Wally?"

His eyes were puzzled. "Huh? Why?"

"Cause I'm on my last set of clean undies and I have to wash the rest. You don't want to look like a perv, right?"

Wally turned pink around his ears. "Ah, um, yes, no wait, no, I mean no! Sorry." He looked over at the wall of dryers.

A light laugh escaped, but Kiri held back the rest. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't embarrass you like that. I still don't want you looking at my undies."

"I know." Once the washing machine got started, he said, "I told my family that I was going to work towards earning this badge first. My Aunt and Uncle are okay with that and wished me good luck. But my parents sent me this long letter with all sorts of advice. I don't know what to say to them."

"I'd tell them to butt out. It's your journey, not theirs. I know my dad isn't going to give me any advice unless I ask for it."

"Yeah, I'm seventeen. They shouldn't be telling me what to do. Still," he sighed, "I don't want to be mean."

"You can say that and still be polite. Like, 'Thanks for the advice, but I'd like to find things out on my own now'. Something like that."

"I'm not sure that would work. You could say that to your parents and they wouldn't mind. But my parents, I'm sure they'll try to guilt trip me into doing what they want anyhow."

"Well you need to do something. It's obviously making you unhappy." She glanced over at him, sitting on an empty washing machine, looking down at his feet. Amigo was sitting next to him, not even interested in watching Samba trip himself up constantly. "And that's making Amigo unhappy too."

"Really, is it?" he asked the Ralts.

He nodded. "You're my person; I don't like to see you unhappy. But I don't know what to do about this."

Wally thought about it, then said, "I'm not sure I can do anything about them on my own, but maybe if I tell Aunt Betty, she can talk my parents into backing off. She's always good at that kind of thing."

Kiri nodded. "Good plan. And after you get to Verdanturf, you go do whatever you want. What were you thinking of doing other than being a Trainer?"

"I've thought about a lot of things, but I keep thinking of working at an adoption ranch. You know, one of those places that takes in Pokemon the owners don't want to keep? Or the ones too old to battle or who have to live with permanent injuries. I'd have to learn to take care of scared or mistrusting Pokemon, but I think it would be a rewarding career. Plus I could be around lots of different Pokemon as well as Amigo."

"That sounds cool. Is there one of those places in Hoenn?"

"Yeah, there's a large one near Fortree, and three smaller ones on the islands. There's good benefits and I hear the pay's decent. The ranch workers don't get as much attention as other people, but that's fine with me. I just get worried about those kinds of Pokemon and lately, I've been thinking that Amigo would be good there as well. You know, since he's good at feeling the emotions of others?"

"He'd be an awesome help there, cause he could tell what an upset Pokemon is upset about."

"Maybe not fully now, but in time when my powers develop," he said.

* * *

A couple of weeks went by. Kiri would train Billina and Samba, then study at the Trainer's School for a little while. She might have been a Mage, but the information was still useful. Then she decided that her team, in particular Samba, was ready to take on Roxanne.

She met Wally outside the Gym. "Look, I won the Trainer's Challenge," he said, showing off a new badge on his ID card.

Kiri clapped her hands together. "Great! I was just about to take the Mage's Challenge."

He looked puzzled. "I got the badge before you?"

"Yeah, you and Amigo must be really good."

"Thanks. But I heard something bad. The Rusturf Tunnel isn't finished."

"It isn't? But they started it months ago."

"Well, have you seen the Whismurs around here?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I ran up by one on accident yesterday. It had been walking along quietly, but when I startled it, it screamed terribly loud. I felt terrible for disturbing it."

"Yeah, they're easily scared. It turns out that the tunnel drilling equipment disturbed them too much, so the company had to stop digging. They're waiting on a specialist wizard who trains Digletts to finish the tunnel."

"Huh. Can we go around the volcano up north? I've been training mostly in the south and east."

Wally shook his head. "The route is rough and has lots of ledges. I'd get worn out climbing and you can't make your wheelchair go through there now."

"That stinks. We'll have to find another way to Verdanturf."

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to keep you from your journey."

"I don't mind. Besides, there'll be Gyms along the way."

"That's true. Anyhow, may I watch?"

"Sure, I don't see why not." She wheeled towards the door, which automatically opened upon her approach.

A young trainer dressed in the Trainer School uniform greeted them. "Hi again, Wally. And hello to you as well. What challenge are you here for today?"

"Mage's challenge," Kiri said, showing her ID card.

He grinned. "Great, then you're to go straight to our leader. Hey Roxanne, you've got a new Mage!"

"Is that so?" She waited for Kiri to roll up. She also wore the Trainer's School uniform. For girls, it was a navy blue skirt, a white shirt under a navy blue jacket, and black shoes. Roxanne also wore her black hair in red pigtails tied with red ribbons. It made her look a little young, but in order to be a Gym Leader (at least by Johto standards), she had to be an adult. "Welcome; I am Roxanne. You must be Norman's daughter, Kiri."

She nodded. "Yup. Good to meet you."

"Same here. May I see your card?"

"Sure." She handed it over.

Roxanne looked it over thoughtfully. "So this is your first Gym challenge. Then I must explain how magic battles differ. The rest of you may watch, but please step beyond the circle."

A white ring of magic had appeared around the battle area. Once everyone got clear, it turned into a shimmering transparent wall. Along with the arena shield, a green orb had appeared by both Mage and Wizard.

"While standard battles involve only the Pokemon, magic battles are fought by both the team and their trainer," Roxanne explained. "The orb floating by your head is a concentrator. It is linked to the condition of your mental focus. You are an open target until this orb, and therefore your concentration, is broken. Once the concentrator orb is broken, your Guardian's magic will form a shield to protect you from being killed. However, your Pokemon will be fighting on their own, so a Wizard must make certain that her Pokemon are well trained.

"Therefore, you have two methods of winning a Magic Battle. First, you can knock out all of your opponent's Pokemon, as normal. Second, you can break your opponent's concentration and defeat the current Pokemon, for we cannot switch under those circumstances. Do you understand this?"

"Yes, Roxanne," Kiri replied.

"Any spell that a Pokemon can use and that's legal for the battle conditions may be used by you or your Pokemon. You may learn more about such moves at the Trainer's School. So, are you ready for battle?"

"We are."

"Then we begin." Roxanne summoned a Geodude. "Prepare yourself. Defense Curl." She waved a hand at her Pokemon, casting some kind of boost spell over it.

Kiri released Samba. "Water Gun it."

While the Geodude brought her hands into cast a defensive spell, Samba shook his lilypad and summoned a water ball. "This is SPARTA!" he called, firing it at the floating rock. Then he looked at Kiri. "That was good, right? Cause I loved that movie! Except of course that we walked in on the middle of it and I fell asleep a little while later, but that scene was great!"

"Focus on the battle," she told him.

"Oh, right."

Fortunately, the water ball struck the Geodude square in the face, knocking her out cleanly. While Samba had been chattering, Roxanne called out her second Pokemon. Nosepass was a strange blue rock creature that had an oversized nose. But she was still a rock.

"Again," Kiri called. For her part she thought of a spell she'd found in a Trainer's School textbook, Tail Whip. It wasn't necessary for her to have a tail. She thought of the symbol and cast. A strand of light appeared and swished like a tail would. It lowered the defenses of both the Nosepass and Roxanne's orb.

In the meantime, Roxanne cast her boost spell again. Defense Curl and Tail Whip neutralized each other with a brief haze of mana. Then Samba's second Water Gun hit the Nosepass. She squealed, but did not fall as fast as the Geodude.

"With me," Roxanne said calmly, as she pointed to Kiri. But the Nosepass did not attack Kiri; she attacked Samba by summoning large rocks to drop on him. Roxanne also cast Rock Tomb on Kiri, so both were showered with the heavy rocks. Kiri's orb got a crack, but did not break.

"Heal yourself," Kiri ordered while she cast Tail Whip again.

"Thanks," Samba said, then cast Absorb. A green aura briefly surrounded the Nosepass, stealing enough of her energy that she passed out. The aura then zipped back to Samba and healed him some.

"Then that's it," Roxanne said with a smile.

The Lotad leapt into the air with a spin. "We did it! We won! We're awesome!"

The Leader went on. "I've seen your Torchic hopping around with you. You have learned well thus far, avoiding use of your Guardian when she was at a serious disadvantage."

"I had to learn that the hard way."

"Some will never learn that lesson in any manner. You have earned the Boulder Badge." Roxanne let the ID card float off her hand, then spun her hand above it. A brown glow infused the card. "This enchantment on your card will raise the strength of the Pokemon you train. And in honor of your first win, I can teach you two useful spells. First," she snapped her fingers, making a wooden post appear. There was a circle burned into the post that had a horizontal line cutting through it. "This is Cut. It will destroy objects like bushes, clay pots, and this post. But it won't affect sturdy things like rocks, metal, and concrete."

"Okay." Kiri focused on the symbol, then thrust her arm through the air. The post snapped cleanly in half.

"Good work." She snapped her hand to put the post back, this time with a different symbol. Although stylized, it looked like an 'X' between four rocks. "And this is Rock Tomb, which you have seen demonstrated. It drops rocks on your opponent, which may slow them down."

Kiri nodded, then cast Rock Tomb. It took an extra try, but she got a small group of rocks to fall onto the post.

Roxanne nodded her approval. "Any spell that you learn, you can teach to your Pokemon, if they can learn it. Your Lotad won't be able to make use of either spell, but your Guardian might learn them after some effort. Every Leader can teach you new spells after you defeat them, and your Pokemon will grow stronger with every badge enchantment you earn."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Roxanne Shale  
Job: Gym Leader/Master Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Strong defenses are key.  
Hobby: working on rock gardens  
Secret: She's not confident in her fashion sense, which is why she wears uniforms.

_Pokemon_

Samba (Lotad)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Lax  
Likes: dancing  
Dislikes: people with big hair

Geodude  
Trainer: Roxanne  
Team: First Tier  
Nature: Bold  
Likes: rolling  
Dislikes: stopping

Nosepass  
Trainer: Roxanne  
Team: First Tier  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: eavesdropping  
Dislikes: spicy foods

_Pokemon League_

Gym License: A license is required for a Gym to be recognized as official by the League; unofficial Gyms can exist, but cannot bestow Badge enchantments or count towards a Challenge. All Gyms must follow certain rules to remain official, or the Leader will be evicted and a new one assigned. In Hoenn, there are four permanent licenses where the city will always have a Gym and four traveling licenses which move from city to city as the Leader wishes. The permanent licenses are for Fortree, Lavaridge, Dewford, and Mossdeep.

_I love the idea of the Trainer having to fight with the Pokemon, even if it can really only work in this kind of setting. The concentrator is also their method of keeping people from being killed during this kind of thing. In a little while, the reason for the permanent licenses should become clear. And I think I used that laundry joke in ClicheStorm too. It is a silly one._

_I love many of the characters in this fic too. Especially the Pokemon. Samba's hilarious at times, and Billina makes for a good straight man in Kiri's party._


	8. Peeko and Briney

"That was amazing," Wally said as they left the Gym. "It took a lot longer for me and Amigo to beat that Nosepass. And I'm glad she couldn't use spells against me."

"I wasn't badly hurt," Kiri said. "Although my mind feels a bit fuzzy now."

"Maybe you should rest before we go on."

They had to stop, though, as a man wearing black rushed out of Devon Headquarters and ran north. He was followed by a man in a brown jacket. "Hey get back here!" he yelled. "Give back our goods!"

"Isn't that the Researcher we found in the Woods two weeks ago?" Wally asked.

"Let's go help him." She followed after, catching up to the man at the edge of town. His face was red and he looked out of breath. "Hey, what happened?"

"Oh... young Mage..." He looked down the eastern road. "That thief broke into our building and made off with some... valuable prototypes. I should... go ask for Roxanne's assistance."

"I'll go after him," Kiri offered.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm faster in my wheelchair and that road dead ends into the tunnel."

"Wait," Wally said, catching up. "I shouldn't run that fast."

"Go back and get Roxanne," Kiri told him. "Tell her there's a thief that has some things from Devon. He's headed towards Rock Tunnel."

"Okay."

The Researcher started to say something, but Kiri had already sped off. The road was paved well, probably from when they were bringing in the tunneling machines. She could easily push her wheels to move faster than ordinary people could run. When she reached the tunnel entrance, she caught sight of the thief running inside. 'Sucker' she thought.

She slowed to get by the small crowd of people outside the tunnel. "What's going on?" she asked.

"He, he kidnapped my darling Peeko," an old man said, distraught.

"That's right," a muscular man added. "Took the poor 'gull hostage. He won't like what he finds inside, though."

"Roxanne should be coming," she told them. "I'll go see if I can get Peeko back."

"But this is a dangerous and desperate man," the old man said, but Kiri didn't pay attention. She went on inside.

It was a misty tunnel, with white wisps of moisture following all air currents. There were some of the pink Whismurs nearby, looking curiously at her. She brought out Billina and went down the tunnel.

"Aw crud," she heard the thief say as she rolled through the mist. "I'm already late getting these goods, the Pokemon I kidnap turns out to be totally useless, and now this stupid tunnel is unfinished. What gives? This was supposed to be a cakewalk."

The forms of the thief and a Wingull appeared. The bird Pokemon appeared scared stiff. Kiri thought about using Cut to get the man to let Peeko go. However, she decided against it because she might miss from exhaustion of the Gym battle, or even hit the poor bird instead. She ought to just keep him here until Roxanne showed up. "Hey, let him go!"

The CCP grunt stiffened, then turned around. "Oh, it's that Mage brat. What are you doing here?"

"Getting Peeko back. You shouldn't be stealing Pokemon."

"You wouldn't understand. Lokire's mission is far more important. Now you either get out of my way or I'll kill this dumb bird." He put his hand against Peeko's shivering body.

Kiri hesitated, not sure what to do now. But then the Whismurs, alarmed at the events, began shrieking. It was bad enough outside, but in the tunnel, the uproar was amplified by the rock walls. Billina squawked and retreated back to her ball. The thief dropped the Wingull to cover his ears, cursing the Whismurs inaudibly. Kiri wanted to cover her ears too, but saw the chance. "Peeko!" She gestured for the Wingull to come to her.

Thankfully, the Wingull darted into her lap. He looked scared and bruised from the rough handling, but would be fine after being returned and healed. Kiri spun her chair around and raced out of the tunnel.

"Peeko!" the old man called. "Are you hurt?"

"I-I-I'm alive?" the Wingull stammered.

Kiri stopped by the two men. "He seems mostly scared."

He picked up his Pokemon gently. "You're okay now, you're back with me."

A brown column of light appeared, then formed into Roxanne. She had a Golem and her Guardian, a Swampert, with her. "Where's this thief?"

"In the tunnel," the strong man said.

"He scared the Whismurs," Kiri added, rubbing her ringing ears.

"That was dumb," the Leader commented. Noticing the thief run out, she ordered, "Golem, restrain him."

"Right away." The large rock Pokemon ran over and grabbed hold of the thief while he was still getting his bearings.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" the thief asked brazenly of the much heavier Pokemon. He glared at Roxanne. "You'll pay for this, both of you girls. Who are you to intervene with my sacred mission?"

"I'm Roxanne, Leader of Rustboro Gym."

He paled. It was a Wizard's honor to defend his or her hometown, doubly so for a Gym Leader. "Uh-oh."

"That's right," she said, slightly amused. "What are you doing, stealing from Devon?"

"And kidnapping a sweet harmless Wingull," the old man said bitterly.

"Orders from the Ambassador. You need know nothing more."

"I'm sure we'll find out more about your Ambassador in due time." She took a Devon parcel from his arm, then handed it to Kiri. "Would you take this to Devon Headquarters, Kiri? On your honor as a Mage."

She nodded and took the black box. "Right, on my honor as a Mage."

"Good. I'll handle this one." She teleported off with the grunt.

"So your name is Kiri?" the old man asked. "I'm Mr. Briney."

She smiled. "Hi Mr. Briney, good to meet you."

"Thank you so much for rescuing my dear friend Peeko. Many of my friends have passed on, but my loyal Peeko is always there for me."

"My friend makes the best fish treats in the whole world," Peeko boasted happily.

"Tell you what; I'm a sailor, even in my old age. If you ever need to go anywhere out on the sea, just come to my cottage by Petalburg Woods. I'll be glad to take you along."

"That sounds great," Kiri said. "I'll remember that."

"I should head back home now before it gets too late. I'll see you later."

As Briney left, the muscular man said, "I should be getting back to the tunnel."

"Are you the wizard they sent to complete it?" she asked. If so, they might get to Verdanturf soon.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm just a trainer with a pair of Machops. See, my girlfriend lives in Verdanturf, so we were really happy when this tunnel was being planned. But then they had to stop. Still, I figure that if I work carefully and quietly, I can complete the tunnel myself without disturbing the wild Whismurs. There's not much left to clear and that specialist may not get here for another few weeks."

"That's pretty impressive. Good luck with that."

"Thanks. And good luck to you."

Kiri returned to Rustboro and went straight to Devon Headquarters. Wally was sitting with the Researcher in the lobby as she rolled up. "Here you are," Kiri said, handing over the stolen bag. "Roxanne has the thief in custody."

"Oh, thank you so much," the Researcher said, taking the bag back. "I hope it's not damaged. Can I offer you something in thanks?"

"No need," Kiri said. "It's my duty as a Mage. That, and I'm tired right now after the Gym challenge."

"I see. Maybe we'll talk tomorrow."

* * *

As it turned out, the Researcher had sent her and Wally a message the next morning to meet with him.

And, interestingly enough, the President of Devon Corporation. Mr. Stone was an older man, although not as old as Mr. Briney. He wore a sophisticated black suit with a red tie. A Pokeball shaped tie tack was attached to it. "I've heard about you two from Gerald here and Roxanne. You both helped out so selflessly."

"It was the right thing to do," Wally said nervously. He was sweating under all the attention.

"I was wondering if I could ask you two travelers for another favor. The parcel you returned yesterday is very important and needs to reach the Shipyard in Slateport by next month. However, the CCP cult is interested in intercepting it, even going so far as to hijack mail enchantments on anything of this size. But I don't think they'll expect a pair of teenagers on a journey to have this package."

"What is it?"

"Right now, these plans are top secret. If you leave for Slateport from the small port in Petalburg, you'll pass Dewford on the way. I'd like you to deliver a letter to my son Steven, who should be there. My Mail spell keeps getting bounced, so I'd like someone to take it to him personally."

"We can deliver a package and a letter," Kiri said.

Mr. Stone nodded. "Thank you. And I wouldn't be so selfish as to ask for a favor without anything in return, so these are for you." He handed over a pair of small books.

Wally went wide-eyed. "These are the new Pokenav books! But they're really expensive."

The President smiled. "It's no trouble at all. You can even combine it with a Pokedex for convenience."

"We'll keep your deliveries safe, we promise," Wally said. When they left, he opened the enchanted book excitedly. "These are great! They have full maps of the Hoenn region, and a special journal to record battle history, and another journal to record contest results."

"I wasn't gonna buy one for a while, cause the price was too high. But getting them free is perfect."

"Not exactly free. We still have to get those things delivered. But how are we going to get to Dewford and Slateport?"

Kiri smiled. "Oh, I know somebody."

* * *

Mr. Briney was more than happy to take them to their destinations. They stayed at his house overnight, then sailed south shortly after dawn. "I hope you won't be affected by the sea's motions," Briney said as Wally helped him tie down Kiri's wheelchair.

"So long as this is going nowhere, I don't mind," Kiri replied.

"I was fine riding a Surfing Pokemon," Wally added. "This look alright?"

The old man tugged at the rope. "It's strong. You've got a good hand at tying knots."

"Thanks. My uncle showed me a lot of knots one time when I was sick. I still remember how to do them, like the monkey's fist."

"Sounds like you're well on your way to becoming a sailor."

He blushed. "You think so?"

"It's a possibility. Come over here and I'll show you some things."

Fortunately, the place Kiri was secured was close enough to listen in and chat with them as the boat went south. The trip took several hours, as the Sea Route was long and dotted with small rocky islands. Samba seemed fascinated by the ocean, running up and down the boat to get a view on everything. Wary of the ocean spray, Billina stayed by Kiri and Amigo talked with her. Above them, Peeko whistled out to wild Wingulls and teased the Tentacools, although he always stuck near the boat.

"I hadn't considered being a sailor," Wally told Briney. "Of course, I hadn't thought much on what else I could do, besides being a Wizard like my parents. I was almost certain I'd be doing that."

Briney shook his head. "You're too young to have settled on one course. You're seventeen; you should be exploring every possibility in life that you have."

"I guess. But there seems to be so many things I could do now, and I don't want to disappoint my parents further."

"You have any siblings?"

"No, why?"

"That may be making it harder for them to let you go. But if they're sensible people, they should come around to realizing your independence."

"I hope that's so," Amigo said.

"But you don't think so?" Billina asked, curious.

"I'm afraid that may not be so for his mother." He frowned.

"Hey, Mr. Briney?" Kiri called from her spot. "You guys were saying earlier that Dewford's the sacred town of Kyogre, right?"

"That's right," Wally answered. "Kyogre's spirit resides there while she's under the sleeping spell of Rayquaza. We don't know where her body is, though."

"The people of Hoenn are grateful for that," Briney added. "As spirits, Kyogre and Groudon are much calmer than they were when awake."

Kiri nodded. "I heard some stories from Dad, but I'm still learning your legends. So it was Kyogre who caused endless rain to increase the seas and Groudon who caused endless drought to increase the lands?"

"That's how it was."

"Then why is Dewford so absurdly sunny right now?"

Squinting to the south, they could see the island of Dewford. It was rocky, like most of the other islands out here. The sun seemed particularly powerful that afternoon, causing the seas to become brightly glossy and the island to shimmer like a desert in summer. As they approached the island, the air became drier and hotter.

"It does seem ominous," Wally said nervously. "Wait, isn't it about the time of year they summon her spirit?"

"Hmm." Briney checked a calender on the wall. "Yes, it should be today, but the signs are of Groudon's power, not Kyogre's. This can't be good."

They pulled up to the docks among many other boats that were in early, presumably for the summoning. The Gym was southeast of the docks, a large and old building with a stone mural of ocean life around the outside. A large blue and white whale dominated the mural on the back wall; presumably, that was Kyogre. Other buildings in town were weathered like the Gym, after years of facing the sea winds, rain, and the occasional tsunami.

But there were unmistakable signs of drought. Plants were wilting or toughening in response to the dry heat. A painting of Kyogre on another building was beginning to peel from lack of moisture. Rain barrels were empty, so the desalination plant nearby was working noisily to keep up with water demands. On a board by the dock exit, someone had recently put up a list of tips to conserve water.

"Dewford shouldn't be like this," Wally said as he walked alongside Kiri and Briney.

"They seemed all right last time I was down here," the old sailor responded, "but that was six months ago. I wonder if they've left for the other shore already. With conditions like this, it'd be no surprise if everyone was anxious."

"No, there seems to be a lot of people over there." He was pointing to the Community Center.

It was a space with a large roof and few walls, ideal for a place that rained a lot. However, now people were using it as a place to escape the intense sun overhead. The residents were trying to be cheerful, but there were worried tones littering the general chatter: talk of how the tide lines seemed to be receding or of how wild Pokemon on the island were acting strangely. Briney waved the two teens to follow him as he looked for someone.

That someone was a Wizard who, despite the weather, was wearing his formal robes, deep blue with gold Unown text embroidered along the edges. He also wore a pale blue necklace with an Ice enchantment, to keep him safe from heat exhaustion. He had dark blue-gray hair, much like the toddler he had on his lap. When he noticed them coming, he smiled. "Afternoon, Mr. Briney. It's been a while since I saw you last."

The old sailor smiled back. "Afternoon, Brawly. It has been some time; I might have checked in sooner if I heard about this."

"Bad, isn't it? I've searched this island the past couple of weeks, but there hasn't been a sign that this is anything but a poor stretch of weather. Yet it feels like something more."

"Have you checked in with old Dusack?"

"I've thought about it. Who are your young friends?"

"This would be Kiri Brown and Wally Chesterfield. They're really great kids and they'll probably be out to challenge you in a couple of days. Kids, this is the local Gym Leader, Brawly."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Kiri said.

Brawly pointed at her. "Wait, you mean... you're Norman and Samantha's daughter, aren't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you know them?"

"From years ago. And this is my son, Jeffery."

Jeffery looked at them, then laughed nervously. The toddler clutched at his father's robes, as if feeling he should be friendly, but too shy to follow through. But Brawly's presence meant that he wasn't scared.

"He talks, but is a little shy around new people." His eyes flickered, thinking over things in the past. "I knew them fairly well, mostly Sam. I keep thinking I ought to go visit, but I figured he'd be busy with settling into his Gym and then I've had local issues to deal with. Still, if only to show that I wouldn't be petty enough to hold a grudge when those things are far gone."

"What happened?"

He waved his hand to that. "It's old things, nothing to worry about. It'll be interesting to see how you battle, but the Gym will be closed for tomorrow so I can recover from the ceremony this evening. You three want to come watch? It's an important ceremony for the whole region, but only happens once a year."

"We'd love to," Wally said. "I've read about it for years and always wanted to come."

Brawly nodded. "You're welcome to come anytime. And hopefully Kyogre might give us some rain, or at least a sign of what's troubling her. She wouldn't let us fall to this without reason."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Mr. Briney  
Job: Retired  
Hobby: boating (or is that his life?)  
Secret: It's said that only three people know his real name.

Leonard Stone  
Job: Devon Corp CEO  
Hobby: collecting rare rocks and fossils  
Secret: As a child, he started his fortune by selling to his Trainer classmates.

Brawly Fisher  
Job: Dewford Gym Leader/Pokemon Wizard  
Battle strategy: Martial arts, for myself and my Pokemon  
Hobby: surfing (not Surfing)  
Secret: When he was training around Kanto and Johto, he met someone...

_Pokemon_

Peeko (Wingull)  
Trainer: Mr. Briney  
Nature: Jolly  
Likes: fish treats!  
Dislikes: thunderstorms

Jessie (Swampert/Guardian)  
Trainer: Roxanne  
Team: Inactive  
Nature: Timid  
Likes: rock gardens  
Dislikes: crowds

Golem  
Trainer: Roxanne  
Team: 6th and 7th Tier  
Nature: Hasty  
Likes: battles  
Dislikes: boats

_Places_

Dewford: The holy town of Dewford is where the spirit of Kyogre resides. The Gym Leader for this town is responsible for protecting the Sapphire that represents her promise to help the town thrive. Although visited often by outsiders, the island has its own sub-culture which every resident keeps up-to-date with, even if it mystifies others.

Items

Pokenav: This enchanted book is Devon's latest hot seller, sure to become an invaluable tool to Trainers everywhere. It combines many features of other Journals, such as regional maps, battle records, and contest strategies, while containing many new features which Trainers have asked for: contest stat evaluators, notations of certain battle laws, and even a Gym log for Gym Trainers. For Mages and Wizards, it is a perfect compliment to the Pokedex. (And it is not, as some have suggested, a fountain of useless knowledge...)

_The Peeko and Briney event is kinda cute; show how much people can care about Pokemon. Although I've heard some people say it's weird._

_Making Brawly a surfer just makes sense, you know? Between his dialogue, location, and physique, it fits perfectly._


	9. Summoning Kyogre

The people going to witness Kyogre's ceremony gathered at the start of a rocky path over the island's center. Brawly looked over them. Next to him was his Guardian, an Infernape. The fiery simian looked much tougher than his partner, but he held great respect for Brawly. After making sure everyone seemed ready to go, he pulled out one of his Pokeballs. "Machamp!"

A large bipedal Pokemon with four arms appeared. It wore a flashy belt around its waist. "Something up?"

He pointed to Kiri. "This young lady would like to come, but I'm afraid we can't get her to the other shore like this. Would you carry her over?"

"No problem!" He gently picked her up with one of his left arms and supported her with the other.

The elf that was with them took hold of the wheelchair's handle. "I'll store this back at the Center for now." She teleported away.

Kiri held onto the Machamp's arm to secure herself. "Sure thing. Thanks, fellow."

"You're welcome. Come along, everyone." Brawly led the procession down the path.

The walk over was fun for Kiri. Given that her eye level was usually around people's chests, being above everyone else was a thrill. She waved down at Wally, who laughed a little. "You can make any situation fun," he said.

"Of course; it's a great thing to be alive."

"Doesn't it usually rain when you do this ceremony?" one of the witnesses asked Brawly, within earshot of Kiri and Wally. "At least mist?"

"Usually," Brawly said, looking up at the bright sunny sky. "I grew up on this island and every single year that I can remember, it was rainy or misty during this ceremony. But the air's been dry here for the past three months. Not even a wisp of morning fog around the caves or dew on the seaside plants."

"That sounds like a foreboding sign. Why else would Kyogre's town be this way?"

"I must make sure to appease the ancient one this year. Otherwise, the consequences will be terrifying."

The young man talking with Brawly nodded, then stepped back to think it over. Although he was obviously not that much older than Wally, he had white-gray hair. 'Is that a popular thing around here?' Kiri wondered. Because Brendan had white hair and even Brawly, who was probably around forty like her Dad, had a hair color like a much older man.

Wally looked at him for a bit, then spoke up, "Um, excuse me, but you're Steven Stone, right?"

"Hmm?" He came out of his thoughts. "Oh, yes, that would be me. And you... you seem like someone I should know..." he cut himself off, puzzled.

"We haven't really met," Wally said, nervous, but not quite as usual. "I'm Wally, and this is my friend Kiri." He pointed up to her.

She smiled. "Hi. We've got mail for you, but it's back in my bag, so it'll have to wait."

"For me? Why would you have my mail?"

"You father says that his Mail spell keeps getting bounced, so he sent his letter with us."

Steven nodded. "I see. Strange; I wonder if that's why I haven't gotten many letters lately. I can't think of why it would be bouncing off me, though."

She shrugged. It was likely the Creation Play cult, but she wasn't sure if they were supposed to keep the package a secret even from Steven. At the very least, they shouldn't mention it when traveling with a large group of people.

"He's the Magic Champion of the region," Wally told Kiri. "So you might be challenging him someday."

"You think so?" she asked.

Steven grinned. "That would be nice. Most of the Challengers I face are older than me, adult Wizards who think they can beat me easily. It would be different to face someone younger than me."

"Do they even realize that you were the Trainer Champion before you became a Mage?" Wally asked.

"Surprisingly, most of them don't know about that. Nice of you to acknowledge that."

Wally pushed his hair back bashfully. "I have been a fan of yours for a while. Hope you don't mind."

"Nah, why would I mind? Just so long as I don't get some of the rabid fans my friend Wallace has. I'm sure I only have a fraction of the fans he does, but given how some of them are stalkers, I'm glad to just have a few. He even lessened the excitement over the two new Leaders that were approved this year."

"My Dad could probably beat him," Kiri said.

Up ahead, Brawly laughed. "As much as I'd rather not admit it, I'd put my money on Norman for that fight."

"You think so?" Steven asked. "Wallace is really tough for as showy as he is. He taught me back before he became a Leader, that's how I know."

He held his hand up. "I know how tough they are; I tested Wallace and I had to beat Norman to become Champion way back when. Even with my type advantage, that was a real close battle. But I only held the title once, whereas Norman was Champion of three different regions at various times. Wallace would give him a long drawn out battle, but I'd still bet on Norman."

From her perch on the Machamp, Kiri caught sight of a movement of yellow-brown. A cloud of dust was coming their way. It was strange. "Hey, it looks like a sandstorm's coming this way."

"Sandstorm?" Brawly asked, surprised. "We don't have sandstorms here."

Nevertheless, the cloud of sand swept over the residents and visitors of Dewford. The Machamp pulled Kiri down to hold her more securely against the flying dust. Steven made a sign with his hand, then looked shocked. "I, I can't cast Rainstorm?"

"This is an enchanted storm," Brawly explained. "Who's responsible for this transgression? You don't want to make Kyogre angry."

"Perhaps that is what Lokire wants," a voice responded.

Kiri had the best view of the man and the Pokemon beside him. The man wore black clothes with a white face mask. The Creation Play cult again, but this member had a ponytail of light blue hair. The Pokemon beside him was small, floating five feet off the ground. It had a translucent body like a bubble that had grown spikes. A yellow glow came from within the small Pokemon. Outside its body was a layer of black mist. It had the feel of a curse.

"Now, you will hand over that Sapphire."

"It's the treasure of Dewford," Brawly said. "It is not mine to give away."

"You'll find reasons to turn it over to the Ambassador. Castform, intensify the sand."

The small Pokemon squalled and shook, its anger uncontainable. Lightning bolts began racing through the dust cloud, some coming uncomfortably close to the residents.

"Not Lightning, you dolt, strengthen the..."

"OH SHUT UP!" the Castform screamed, then shot a lightning bolt through the CCP follower.

He survived, though. After swearing something nasty, he Teleported himself and the disobedient Castform away.

The sandstorm lasted a minute longer, then vanished. Brawly patted his Guardian in thanks, then called out, "Is everyone okay?"

"Just gritty, sir," a boy answered.

"At least it's just that. We must press on." He and his Infernape continued down the path. The Machamp put Kiri back on his shoulder, then followed. Soon after, the rest came.

At the other shore was a shrine made up of a path of tall rocks that extended over the ocean. At the farthest point was a small column and an archway with a relief of Kyogre on top. While everyone else waited at the shore, Brawly and his Infernape walked out to the arch. The Leader placed the Sapphire on the column. It was a large deep blue stone about the size of his palm. Then the pair held hands over the gem to pray.

"Master of the seas," Brawly called out, "please hear our prayers. We of Dewford are under the protection of your waters from birth to death. We give you our prayers and praise in hopes you respond with your blessings. In the name of Arceus, please continue to acknowledge the bond between our village and yourself."

After he finished speaking, the Sapphire began to glow. It lifted off the column to between the arms of Brawly and his Infernape. It stayed there for a minute... two... five... ten...

The witnesses who lived in Dewford began to look nervous. Was it not supposed to take this long? Then the Sapphire's glow brightened and engulfed Brawly. "Someone has disturbed my dreams," he said, in a deep but feminine voice. "The devil has escaped its prison. Be careful of those who bear strange gifts."

As the blue glow vanished, the Sapphire dropped back onto the column. Brawly collapsed as well. The Infernape gave a startled cry and was soon kneeling by his partner. Everyone gasped, but only the Nurse Joy ran over to the shrine. She began healing him.

"You don't want to approach an unconscious Wizard unless you know his Guardian," Steven commented to Wally. "The Guardians can get pretty nasty when their partner is in danger."

"Oh, okay," the boy replied. "I hope he's not too hurt. But what was he talking about with the devil and strange gifts?"

Steven put his hand to his chin. "I think Kyogre spoke through him. I'll have to inform the Elite 4 of this troubling information."

"Who's the devil?" Kiri asked.

"I don't know that. But there are many legends of a mysterious Pokemon who offers strange gifts, which turn out to be curses or evil magic. One gift you often hear about is the bad egg which never hatches and can never be gotten rid of."

"His name is Lokire," Wally said. "There aren't many stories that name him, but I've found a few in really old books."

Nurse Joy came back to shore. "Machamp, would you take him back home? He should not exert himself after the effort he put into the ceremony."

"Not a problem," the Machamp replied. He went over and picked up Brawly. After shifting Kiri higher on his shoulder to be supported by one arm, he used three arms to hold onto Brawly, to make certain that he would take no injury.

The Infernape looked at Kiri warily, not comfortable with having a stranger so close to his weakened partner. Little Billina responded with a cold glare to Infernape. Then the latter allowed Kiri to stay where she was, at least until they got back to town.

Brawly was conscious again, although he had no energy left. Kiri smiled over at him. "Hey, you get to ride with me now!"

"That's nice," Brawly said, his smile weak. "At least Kyogre wasn't angry. She still watches us." As it started lightly raining, he put his head on the Machamp's shoulder and was soon fast asleep.

* * *

Although it was supposed to be a celebration, the gathering after the ceremony was subdued. There were too many disturbing signs: the unusually bright sun, the behaviors of the local fish, the colony of Abras appearing in odd places, the fainting of their Gym Leader, and even the words of Kyogre. While the ceremony was to honor the immortal sea Pokemon, she usually didn't speak out loud.

Slowly, things got festive as they were supposed to be. The rain struggled for some time, then settled on a steady shower to give much-needed water to the local plant life. A band started playing music, a few games got started, some children laughed, and eventually the tension was mostly gone.

Pokemon were allowed to celebrate the ceremony as well. Mr. Briney made some money by selling some homemade fish treats that Peeko adored. Samba tried dancing with everyone else, to the delight of those watching. Billina preferred to stick by Kiri's side and watch out for sneaky villains and the falling rain. Amigo was happy with the general mood, behaving modestly when someone commented on how rare he was.

They found Steven and three of his Pokemon around one of the tables. A Metagross was pacing nearby, a Cradily was sitting on the table with a huge grin, and Steven's Guardian, an Empoleon, was standing next to him. The Empoleon stood over seven feet high and watched the crowd thoughtfully. On the other hand, the Cradily, an ancient looking plant of green and yellow, was bopping her 'head' to the music and seemed to be having a grand old time.

"Hi again," Kiri said, pulling out the envelope. "Here's your father's letter."

"Ah, thanks. Join us if you like." He pulled out the letter and read over it. That didn't take long and his reaction seemed to be thoughtful, maybe a bit annoyed.

"What're you thinking about?" Kiri asked.

"Not much, just reminiscing. I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did your parents feel about you both going on your journeys?"

"That's okay," she replied. "My parents were proud of me, but they're letting me find out everything on my own. My Dad runs the Petalburg Gym, but he won't take my challenge until I'm ready for his tougher teams."

Steven raised an eyebrow. "Is that right? I've spoken to Norman a few times. He seems like an average guy, but after I've listened and watched for a while, I'm starting to think that he's a real tough battler. I might challenge him one of these days, just to find out for myself."

"He is tough. And I know he's tougher on me cause he's my Dad. But I don't mind."

"Kinda wish I could say that about my parents," Wally said. "They wanted me to become a Mage like they did, but I'm not sure I'm ready for it."

Steven nodded. "I had something of the opposite problem. My parents didn't want me to become a Mage."

"Really? Why not? I know it's a lot of work, but most people wish they could have a Guardian."

"It's a lot of work without a reliable income; that's what they had a problem with. My family is all about Devon and business. We talked about finances and sales over dinner, on vacation, off work, on work, all the time. We'd talk about new products, developments, and services where other families would talk of sports practice or Pokemon. In fact, Laharl was my first Pokemon because he's rare and therefore expensive to get." He pointed to the Metagross. "My dad gave him as a Beldum to me for my thirteenth birthday."

"He is really cool," Wally said.

Laharl paused by the green-haired boy, then telepathically said, 'Precisely, it is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.'

"You can tell the temperature?"

"And the humidity, and wind speed, and barometric pressure," Steven commented. "He and the rest of his kind are obsessed with numbers, and he specifically loves the weather. I love him, and yet I wouldn't give one of his peers to beginning Trainer. I had a terrible time when I started with just him. Later I went through a rebellious period where I applied to be a Mage and got chosen by Prinny here. He might be a Guardian, but he's also a tough one to start with."

"But you made it through and became Champion," Wally said.

"Yeah. Fortunately, me and my Dad buried the hatchet when I started earning my badges. Mostly. Sometimes he still doesn't get it." He folded up the letter and put it back in the envelope.

A waitress came by with some drinks. "Here's your order, Steven. One Rawstberry shake and three Seaweed smoothies."

"Thanks." He pulled the lid off one of the smoothie bottles and put it in front of the Cradily. Then he pointed at the plant. "And don't go eating the bottle this time, Rozy."

The Cradily grinned wider, then grabbed the bottle and began chugging the smoothie. Steven gave the other two smoothies to his other two Pokemon.

"Would you two or your Pokemon like something? Here's the menu."

"Thanks, we'll look it over." Once the waitress was gone, Kiri looked up at the plant. "Where did that one come from anyhow? It doesn't seem like a regular Pokemon."

"She's part of an extinct species," Steven explained. Then he shrugged. "Another one of my Dad's moves. We got a fossil regenerator, which brings ancient Pokemon back to life. As such, Rozalin's manners are a bit primitive."

"So he sent them with you to sort of advertise, huh?" Kiri asked.

"Right. I learned to love the two I have. They're vital members of my team."

"BRAAAACK!" the Cradily belched after she set down the empty smoothie bottle. Laharl and Prinny stiffened for a moment while the rest of the party paused.

Taking it in stride, Steven lifted his glass up. "Yes, praise to Kyogre."

While everyone else laughed, the Cradily smacked her lips and grinned.

"But your Guardian was the last Pokemon you got of your current team," Wally said.

Steven nodded. "Yeah. You must follow me closely if you know that." He looked at Wally. "You sure we don't know each other?"

"Um," he looked down for a moment, then back to Steven. "Did you happen to meet Darkrai about two years ago? And he talked about stones and rivers, and destiny."

He turned serious. "Yeah. Then you must be the one I traded destinies with."

"Yeah. I kinda thought it was you before, but I'm pretty sure now."

"What're you two talking about?" Kiri asked.

"It's like I was saying just a bit ago," Steven answered. "For a while, I was happy just being a Trainer and studying to follow my father's footsteps. I even became Champion with pretty much the same team I use now. But then I started thinking that maybe I didn't want a future filled with finances and business deals. I had much more fun doing so many other things and I was getting repulsed by the workaholic behavior that my father had, that I was beginning to copy. One night I prayed to any spirit that would listen to me and Darkrai spoke to me."

...

Steven was trying to read, but he kept thinking about that weird dream he had last night. Trading destinies; was it even possible? And how would he know if it worked, or what he should do? Right now, he had a clear path to take. But he didn't want to become a carbon copy of his father, rich but so out-of-touch. Sure, he would talk about his hard path to riches, how much work he had put in to get this far.

But Steven didn't want that.

An envelope slipped under the door to their apartment and came right to his lap. He set the book aside; he'd forgotten already what it was about. Only a few words were on the envelope. The upper-right corner noted that it was from M. Birch. The center indicated that it was for a W.C.

To trade destinies.

He opened the envelope and found an application for the Mage tests. He'd never filled one out before. Since Wizards put in a lot of work for usually middling pay, the Stone family declined to seek that career. If one wanted to work directly with Pokemon, one was better off as a normal Trainer, or better yet, a breeder. They obviously weren't the only ones with this opinion; that frail-looking boy hadn't wanted to be a Mage either.

It was definitely not his father's way, which was what Steven wanted. And it would give him an excuse to go back on the road, which he loved. His father would hate it, though. So he filled it out.

-Name: Steven Stone  
-Age:

But that was a problem, wasn't it? He was nineteen, too old to be considered. However, didn't he have influence from an immortal? Could he possibly slip by?

-Name: Steven Stone  
-Age: 18

...

It was shortly before noon when Roxanne knocked on the door to the Stone's apartment. "Good morning," he said. "Dad's not here right now. But good work on becoming the official Leader."

She gave him a stern look with her hands crossed over her chest. "You know why I'm here."

"I do?"

"We both know that you're nineteen. How did you get your application past me?"

"When you were busy, I got one of the kids to turn in mine with his."

It was rumored that Roxanne was slightly psychic, due to her gaze's ability to drill right through to the back of a person's skull. When faced with that gaze, Steven could believe the rumor. It didn't help that her voice had a sharp edge. "Why are you doing this so late?"

Steven might have been able to lie to anyone else. But under that gaze, he was honest. "I, um, it was suggested to me by Darkrai."

"Darkrai?"

"Yeah, me and some kid agreed to switch destinies, and so I wound up with his application."

She didn't say anything for a full minute, which unnerved him to no end. Finally, she let up, dropping her arms to her sides. "I hope you know what you're doing. You made the first cut, the only one from this town to do so this year. If you don't say anything to Birch, I won't say anything to your father. We'll see what the legends have in mind for you."

...

"So that how I wound up getting chosen when I was nineteen," Steven finished. "What happened to you, Wally?"

"Oh, uh, I caught mono and was too weak to travel for two years."

A guilty look crossed his face. "Oh, sorry to hear that."

Wally shook his head. "No, it's fine. I did kind of say I would do anything to get out of the applications, and it worked. Besides, even if I started my journey late, I got to start with my two best friends."

"Even if Vincent went another way?" Kiri asked.

"We're still writing each other, and that's what matters. Besides, he's the smartest teenager in Hoenn; I'd hold back his progress if I were traveling with him."

"I suppose starting with friends can make up for it. Hmm." Steven closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. "So that's what Darkrai did, huh? Messed up the letter with your application and transferred an infection from me to you."

"From you?"

He nodded. "I had just come back from business school, and a rash of mono cases showed up at the end of semester. I know my ex-girlfriend got sick shortly after we broke up, and a lot of people from my circle of friends were sick too. I thought I was just lucky."

"That makes sense, actually. There weren't any mono cases in Petalburg and my mom keeps a clean house, so we were really confused about how I contracted the disease."

"Huh, well... I still feel really bad about this. I've managed to become Magic Champion and repair my relationship with my father, but you got sick for two years. Look, Wally, if you or your friends need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. I really owe you."

Wally nodded. "Thanks, Steven. I'm just trying to make the best of this path that I can."

* * *

Kiri put the Devon parcel on the bedside table. The black box had some traces of the magical object that was inside. "I wonder what's in here? Must be something important, or else those weird cultists wouldn't try so hard to steal it." She touched the lid of the box. Perhaps...

Billina gave her a sharp look.

"I know; I agreed to deliver it and keep it a secret." She looked over the box. "Eh, not worth it to peek inside. I'll probably find out later."

The Torchic gave a satisfied nod and went back to cleaning her feathers.

* * *

It was dawn, mellow under the return of the morning mists. By the currently calm ocean, fishermen were preparing their boats for the day's work. A smaller number of miners were gathering supplies to dig in Granite Cave. A lone Abra appeared by a pile of traps.

She looked around. Trouble was, they were getting better at expecting her. Things were secured tightly or put away. Crewmen kept an eye out for her. There were even a few Bug Pokemon now among crews that used to only take sea-faring Pokemon.

Bugs. She shuddered. It was impossible to tell what a Bug was going to do, as their minds were so different. She might even miss one noticing her.

She teleported at the mere thought of that. Further in town, things were less hectic. For a while, she had been just going to the beach or to the town dump. But then she'd miss the anticipation, the danger, and the thrill. She knew she shouldn't. The others reminded her of that constantly when they were awake. But picking up shells just wasn't the same.

Noting an open window in the Pokecenter, she teleported up there. There was a girl Mage inside, with two Pokemon resting nearby. In the process of waking up, they hadn't yet noticed the psychic on the windowsill. There was a lot of the usual: an enchanted bag, a magic book, clothes, shoes. There was also a wheelchair, something of a novelty. But there was also a box.

A black box, two inches high, seven inches wide, and nine inches long. It was something important, judging by the scraps of mana it had gathered. Every touch left a trace of mana, and this box was the object of anxiety, pride, greed, honor, and selflessness. Not only that, but there was something magical inside. Some trinket powerful in both Water and Flight.

That was it. That was the sort of thing she wanted. The Abra teleported inside and picked up the black box.

The girl Trainer noticed and turned her head. "Hey, put that down!"

She vanished with the coveted box.

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Steven Stone  
Job: HPL Magic Champion/Pokemon Wizard  
Battle strategy: Be disarmingly nice.  
Hobby: collecting rare rocks and fossils  
Secret: He's something of a black sheep in the Stone family.

_Pokemon_

Buster (Infernape/Guardian)  
Trainer: Brawly  
Team: Inactive  
Nature: Careful  
Likes: the beach  
Dislikes: spikes

Machamp  
Trainer: Brawly  
Team: 4th and 5th Tier  
Nature: Mild  
Likes: helping out  
Dislikes: swamps

Prinny (Empoleon/Guardian)  
Trainer: Steven  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: fireworks  
Dislikes: bossy people

Laharl (Metagross)  
Trainer: Steven  
Nature: Quirky  
Likes: meteorology  
Dislikes: psychology

Rozalin (Cradily)  
Trainer: Steven  
Nature: Jolly  
Likes: food (but she's picky)  
Dislikes: jawbreakers

_Legends_

Kyogre: Known as Hoenn's Master of the Seas, Kyogre protects all who make their living from the sea. Her Sapphire is a sign of her promise to protect Hoenn and is guarded by the Gym Leader of Dewford. As a spirit, she is calm, but it is said that in the past, she caused massive flooding with endless rains, submerging a large rocky plain that once ran from Dewford to Pacifidlog. Some believed she is an evil destroyer for this, while others believe that she is Hoenn's sole holy protector.

_Obviously that Castform isn't a legal one. They don't have a form for sandstorms and it's rather overpowered._

_The age limitation is set over adolescence, when most people change. During that time, magic would be flexible, but it 'sets' at some point, making it dangerous to attempt to call a Guardian (it might break the person's mind or soul). It might be interesting to get more into how Steven squeaked by there, even if the story is mostly about the younger set here._

_I never found out about Brendan's hat for years, actually. Or I kept forgetting about it. It's a very weird hat._


	10. The Little Thief

Kiri went up to the desk where the Nurse Joy was on duty. "Do you know anything about a thieving Abra? I saw one take something important from my room a little while ago."

The elf nodded. "Yes, there is a troublesome Abra within the Granite Cave colony. She has stolen many items from Dewford over the past two years. I am sorry; I should have warned you to keep your windows closed."

"Looks like I'll have to go in that cave. I have to get it back."

"Wait a moment. Do you know the healing arts?"

"Oh, no, I completely forgot about that." She pulled out her card and showed the single badge. "I heard that I can learn some of your magic as I earn badges."

"That is correct. I do not know where the colony lives inside the caves, but you could be there for some time." She caused a symbol to be drawn in midair; it was an asterisk within a circle. "This is the first form of Cure. It works on all living creatures. It will help if you or your Pokemon get injured while in the caves."

"Okay." She attempted the spell by waving her hand in a circle; she used to tease her dad for cleaning invisible windows when doing this. "Is that right?"

"That is satisfactory. When you have three badges, you may learn another spell from us. Take care, child."

"Thanks. Could you tell Wally where I went?"

"Of course."

After following the concrete walkway down the beach, Kiri warily rolled into Granite Cave. The floor looked smooth, although numerous pebbles littered the floor. There was an Abra sleeping in the middle of the room. But it couldn't be the thief; this Abra had a long scar running across his forehead.

He teleported off when she got close, but seconds later, he reappeared, wide awake. 'Young Mage? If I may speak with you.'

She felt startled. "You can speak to humans?"

'I can tell you what thoughts I wish to share,' he replied, telepathically Kiri realized. 'I am Dusack. My place is not with humans; I protect my tribe.'

Briney had mentioned the name yesterday. "Oh, okay. But what do you want to say?"

He vanished and reappeared next to her. 'Our kind has vast potential, but at this stage, much of our power sleeps. I've been told that I will always sleep. However, my daughter, the one you are searching for, I have dreamed that she is to awaken. Perhaps you could do this.'

"I've come to get something important that she's stolen."

'It is a fault that needs to be trained out of her. My dreams,' Dusack paused to yawn, 'my dreams say that no Pokemon is completely evil. Save one, the devil Pokemon. This one tells lies and seeks to overthrow the ancient ones. This one has disrupted the mana of the island, causing confusion among our colony. You will cross paths with the devil Pokemon. My daughter could protect you by then, I would hope.'

"I haven't heard of a devil Pokemon before, outside of stories."

'Be careful. But, before you can take my daughter, you must find her.' Dusack raised his hand and teleported them to another part of the cave. This room was lit by various holes in the ceiling. 'Prove your worth, Mage.' Then he vanished.

It took a moment for Kiri's eyes to adjust. When they did, she saw about three dozen Abras. Dusack reappeared in a high nook; he was easy to recognize with his scar. But the others, all asleep, looked alike.

She couldn't think of a distinguishing mark on the little thief. And there were no man-made objects in this room, so nothing betrayed her. She could easily discount all the males, since Dusack said the thief was his daughter. The males had small whiskers under their noses, while the females had none. That still left nineteen Abras to choose from.

Kiri considered the situation. Judging by Dusack's conversation, Abras were intelligent. They would know right from wrong better than other Pokemon. So an Abra who compulsively stole things would likely be unpopular. She could cut out most of the females on this thought, as they slept near others. But there was one female who was sitting by herself and holding onto a pink stone.

She rolled up quietly to the Abra with the pink stone. "It's you," she said, reaching out to tap Dusack's daughter.

She teleported, briefly causing chaos as the other Abras teleported away in response. 'Quiet,' Dusack telepathically said in a firm tone of thought.

Most of the Abras woke up then. They appeared puzzled to see a human in their midst, but Dusack was now beside Kiri. He had the respect of all members of this Abra tribe.

'Choora, come here,' Dusack said.

She appeared, still holding onto her pink stone. 'Yes father?'

'This Mage has picked you out of our tribe successfully. You will go with her and return what you have taken.'

Choora blinked. 'Me? But, why?'

'You need discipline and she needs the thing you stole from her back. This is my judgment; you will follow it as my last order to you.'

She sighed, apparently having seen this coming for some time. 'Okay, I'll go. And return her thing.'

'Return all the things you have stolen.'

'But that's not fair...' she got a look at the sternness on Dusack's face. Then she huffed. 'I suppose I should.'

Kiri threw the Pokeball at Choora once she agreed; she didn't even use the Capture spell. Then she immediately released her. "So where is your stash?"

'Somewhere else.' Choora teleported them to a smaller cave, lit by a lantern. It was quite the treasure horde, provided one was willing to stretch the definition of treasure. There were three fake ferns on a piano bench, a baby doll sitting in a toy dump truck, a collection of sunglasses and playing cards, a fishing pole, a bug net, a single green high heeled shoe, a mostly full bottle of sunscreen, and the Devon parcel. Beside the lantern was a fish tank that had been filled with small things: bottlecaps, shells, rocks, coins, pens, toys, and sea glass.

"Why'd you take all this stuff?"

Choora yawned, not happy that she was missing out on a good sleep by doing this. 'I liked them.'

"But they're not yours. You shouldn't take what's not yours."

'I know,' she thought. If she had been human, she might have been scowling. 'But I see something that I want and I have to take it. I have to.'

"Well you can't now."

'I shouldn't have to listen to you. I don't even know you. It's not fair.'

Kiri was busy putting the treasures in her bag for easy moving. "It's part of the ancient bond that Arceus blessed."

'Still not fair,' she muttered.

The fish tank was too full for Kiri to put in her bag, and the piano bench was too big. She attached the lantern to her wheelchair for light, then took the tank in her lap. "Oof. Hope that doesn't cut off my blood."

'Can't you tell that yourself?'

"No, I can't feel my legs; that's why I'm in this wheelchair. So take us back to Dewford."

Choora looked at her, then telepathed, 'No.'

"Why not?"

'I don't want to.'

The Abra obviously didn't trust her yet. This partnership was going to take some work. "Okay, then we'll have to find our way out of this cave." She took her other two Pokemon and released them. "Billina, Samba, this is your newest teammate Choora."

"Hi there!" Samba said happily. "Good to meet you. You seem neat. Hey, why's it so dark in here?"

"Because it's a cave," Choora replied in the Pokemon language, already irritated with the Lotad. "Duh."

"We have to get out of this cave," Kiri told the three. "I'm not sure what's in here, so it's better we explore like this. Let's go."

"Yay, exploring time!" Samba cheered, hopping alongside the wheelchair.

"Why don't you just take her out of here?" Billina asked Choora. "You are capable of doing so, right?"

"I don't want to," she grumbled again as she began crawling with the group.

"The laws of the ancients tell us that we must obey the one who captured us."

"Yeah, whatever, Guardian. I only let her because the tribe leader said so."

"Your leader must have good reasons for doing so."

"I doubt it; I bet he's just wanted to get rid of me. He keeps saying that he'll never go with a human, so the only reason he'd send me with one was because he hates me."

"It's fine now, cause Kiri is nice," Samba piped in. "She gave me a bath the other day and it was such fun, and I got worried for a bit cause I got her all wet and thought she'd be all mad and stuff, but then she laughed and thought it was funny and called me a clown. My family called me a clown too, especially after this one time when a Seedot was looking in the water, and I thought it'd be funny to..."

-Fifteen minutes later

"And I thought the sky was on fire and was gonna collapse, but then it turned out to just be a Duskull," Samba finished, having spoken without a break the entire time.

"And then what?" Billina asked.

Samba paused to think. "And then I went to sleep. That's it."

"I got woken from my nap for this?" Choora grumbled.

"It was your naptime when you were captured?" Samba asked. "That's rough."

"Yes, it was time for my second morning nap."

The Lotad laughed. "Second morning nap? Geez, how much do you sleep?"

"At dawn, we wake up to eat a little something, then it's the first morning nap. Then we wake up to discuss what dreams we've been having, then it's the second morning nap. Next is lunch, which of course must be followed up by a good long rest. We wake up in the afternoon and talk some more; Dusack teaches us things he's learned over his life. Then we nap before supper, although sometimes the Sableyes bother us. Finally, we have supper, with a short nap, then evening discussion, then a long night of sleep. Hmm, I suppose eighteen hours on average."

"Wow," he responded. "Why do you sleep so much? You'll miss out on so much fun."

"The power of an Abra is asleep," Choora recited from Dusack's lessons. "We are most powerful when asleep. Therefore, our ideal state is in sleep."

Billina snorted. "What good is power that sleeps? You will never get the chance to use it, so you will never improve."

Before Choora could come up with a retort to that, Kiri stopped at a ladder. In the chamber above, they could see sunlight. "Drat. There's no way I'm making up a ladder."

'Why don't you ask me to teleport you again?' Choora telepathically asked her.

"You already said that you didn't want to. We're gonna have to find another way up."

"Whoa, you can talk to Kiri?" Samba asked. "Awesome!"

"You are way too easily impressed," Choora grumbled.

"Anybody have any ideas for getting out?"

"I dunno," Samba replied. "That ladder's kinda tall and I'm kinda short."

"It's a bit much for me to jump up," Billina added.

"Oh, forget about this wandering around in the dark nonsense," the Abra said. She threw her rock at Kiri in a moody fit. "I've been up too long." She recalled herself back into the Pokeball.

Billina sniffed. "She has a lot to learn."

"Aw, don't be so hard on her. She's just grumpy."

After looking it over, Kiri stuck the rock in her bag. "Maybe I ought to send Wally a note."

"Kiri?" Wally's voice came from the ladder's hole. "Is that you Kiri?"

"Yeah, it's me!" She waited, then waved when he showed up. "Hi."

"How'd you get down there?"

"I had a run-in with the Abras. Now I have to find my way out."

He knelt by the hole. "We can get you out. Amigo?"

"Sure thing." The Ralts teleported down the hole, then teleported Kiri and her Pokemon into the upper chamber.

"Good, thanks Amigo. Now I have to return all this stuff."

* * *

They went to the community center, where Kiri took out all the things that had been in Choora's horde. She also brought the Abra back out. "Thank goodness someone finally caught that nuisance," one of the men said. "That girl has been trouble since the day she was hatched."

Choora slumped down against a couch, feeling dismal. Once she had the things, it usually didn't matter until someone tried to take them back. Now she had to watch as people took away all of her treasures. All of them; even the opened bottle of sunscreen was claimed.

She felt worse when a large fisherman put his hand on her head. "Even if you are a Pokemon, you ought to be punished for stealing so much."

"Hey, chill out," Kiri said, looked the fisherman fearlessly in the eyes. "I'm training her. I'll make sure she acts better. Don't interfere."

For a moment, the fisherman thought of scolding Kiri as well. But seeing the determination to defend Choora in the girl's eyes, he decided against that. It was amazing to see a handicapped girl intimidate a strong fisherman, but perhaps more amazing that she was doing it for Choora. She had stolen something from the girl too, after all.

When they were finally away from those terrible villagers, the Abra spoke to her. 'Kiri?'

"What is it, Choora?"

'Why did you stand up for me back there? Aren't you still mad at me for taking your thing? I can't tell so easily as I've been awake so much today.'

"I got the package back. That, and you're part of my team now. I can't stay mad at you. But we'll have to work together, all four of us, to improve."

'Most people aren't that kind to me. I'd like to help you, but my power sleeps.' She closed her eyes. "Oh Uxie, if I can ever be worthy, awaken my power to help my Mage."

There was a laughing reply that only she heard, then a silver aura surrounded her. Her body grew leaner while her mind awoke and became sharper. She had finally gained something her father could never attain in becoming a Kadabra.

"I think you shouldn't have trouble helping me now," Kiri said. Then she clapped her hands. "And that calls for celebration! Who's up for ice cream?"

"Ice cream!" Samba cheered along. Then he paused. "Wait, what's ice cream?"

* * *

When they got back to the Pokecenter, Steven was in the lobby writing a letter. Wondering, Kiri went up to him. "Hey Steven, can I ask you about something?"

"Hmm?" He looked over. "Ah, Kiri. Sure, what's on your mind?"

She pulled out the pink rock, which no one had claimed. "I got an Abra today who was holding onto this rock. It seems a bit magical, so what is it?"

He took the rock and examined it. "Well, it's something you wouldn't want an Abra to hold onto for long. It's called an Everstone and it's quite difficult to find. The magic you sense is a natural sealing spell that slows the growth of Pokemon, making it impossible for them to evolve."

"That's odd. I wonder if that's part of why she was so moody."

"Could be. Abras have a lot of potential, but if they have one of these, their powers are limited to telepathy and teleportation. Actually," he rolled it around, looking at it with a rock dealer's eye, "May I buy this off you? I've been looking for one of these for a client, but so far I've come up empty. I'll give you a thousand dollars for it."

"Sure, if you'd like it. Doesn't sound like much use to me."

"Thanks a lot. Here." He not only gave her the money, but wrote up a pair of receipts for them to keep. He smiled sheepishly as he handed her receipt over. "Yeah, not too hard to tell that I was raised by a family of business."

"You're welcome; glad I could help out."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Pokemon

Dusack (wild Abra)  
Nature: Adamant  
Likes: dreams  
Dislikes: Sableyes

Choora (Kadabra)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Rash  
Likes: treasured objects  
Dislikes: giving stuff up

 _Items_  
  
Everstone: This stone is composed of lead and various other minerals that have adverse effects on mana. It ranges from orange-pink or deep red, depending on trace elements within the stone. Pokemon are particularly sensitive to an Everstone's power, causing them to be unable to evolve, sometimes even limiting abilities. It has its uses, though, as some evolutions are dangerous or unwanted. Breeders also use Everstones, but it seems to be a trade secret.

_Spells_

Telepathy: The ability to exchange certain thoughts. It is an invaluable skill for a Trainer's Pokemon to have, allowing communications between humans and Pokemon. An Intelligence-type Psychic power, it is possible for Psychic, Ghost, and Dark types to learn.

_Author's Notes_

Names: Wondering where some of the names I use come from? Here's a guide.

Kiri: You can meet Kiri in Sootopolis in Ruby and Sapphire. She introduces herself to you every single day and will give you two berries for talking to her. I have taken a liking to her name and use it everywhere in games... even in my Ruby game.

Billina: Billina is a character in the Oz series, a witty yellow hen from Kansas. She first appears in Ozma of Oz. She also appears in the movie Return to Oz, one of those 'it's so bad, it's funny' movies.

Choora/Dusack: The two Abras get their names from the same source: Dark Cloud 2. In that game, a choora is a golden sword and a dusack is a black sword. Those names probably come from real swords, although I'm not too sure. (That doesn't mean that Choora is a shiny; she's just named for a shiny sword).

Prinny/Laharl/Rozalin: All of Steven's Pokemon are named for Disgaea characters.

* * *

 _That cave's not nearly that big, but it would be a pain for someone like Kiri to get around in. And yeah, I got her name from within the game itself. It's mildly amusing to have the NPC Kiri introduce herself to the PC Kiri and have her wonder why her parents named her that._ _2016 note- And Kiri is still my standard go-to name for a girl hero in a video game. Love the name that much._


	11. Battle at Dewford Gym

With Mr. Briney agreeing to wait for their Gym Challenges and the delivery date some time away, Kiri and Wally spent the next few days preparing. They wrote Vincent, who answered quickly.

'Hi Wally, Kiri.

You really shouldn't need help for Dewford Gym. It's a Fight type Gym and you both have Psychics. Fighters will go down quickly to a Psychic attack. But be careful if they somehow get the first attack; psychics tend to be weak to physical attacks, which Fighters excel at.

I've run into old legends of a devil Pokemon, but I was never too concerned with legends. They have too much fabrications for my tastes. There is some truth to them, but still, I'd rather someone else look into that. Missingno thinks you're hearing about Giratina, an immortal from another world who seeks to conquer this one or Darkai, the spirit of the new moon who causes nightmares. That sounds crazy, but if you're going to run into this thing, be careful.

Good luck (like you'll need it), Vincent.'

Kiri also asked her dad about the devil legend, and he responded with,

'You remember all those stories the old people told? Like the story of the Shedinja who turned a whole town into zombies, or of the Exploud who wanted peace and quiet, but wound up deafening all of his neighbors? That's Lokire, and it sounds like Dusack was talking about him. Unfortunately, he's a master of trickery and deceit.

It sounds like just scary stories to tell around the campfire, but there may actually be such an immortal. And from what I hear, Dusack is an old and respected Abra around Dewford. If he was the one to warn you, I'd take it seriously. He would not be kidding you. I'll ask some friends, but it might take a while. Be careful, sport, and don't accept any gifts that are too good to be true.'

On June 28th, eight days after they had arrived at Dewford and nearly a month since they sent in their applications, Nurse Joy informed them that the Gym was open to challenges again. On the inside of the old building, it was as dark as Granite Cave. The walls of the small entrance area were made of gray stones. A pair of candles in glass lanterns lit the two stone pillars that named the winners of this badge in the past year.

A karate student in a white outfit was waiting for them. "Good morning, challengers," he greeted them. "What are you here for?"

"I'm here for the Mage Challenge," Kiri replied.

"Trainer Challenge," Wally added.

"I see. I'll go up ahead and inform Brawly that you're here. However, the Trainer Challenge takes priority, for a Magic Battle takes time to recover from. So, if you'll go past that door, there is a maze you must pass. The Gym Trainers are hiding in the dead ends and they will challenge you if they spot you. As you defeat them, the lights of the Gym will slowly come back on."

"Ah, all right," Wally said.

"You'll have to wait here until he's done."

She nodded. "I understand."

"Good, then whenever you're ready." He stepped back and vanished.

The green-haired boy put his hand to his chin, then brought out Amigo. "We have a dark maze to pass," he told the Ralts. "Can you help?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Let's try." They went through the door.

To pass time, Kiri called out Choora. "What're you doing to prepare?"

'I don't think it will be a problem,' she replied. 'I've been studying my Arcane cards.'

"You have an Arcane deck?"

The Kadabra clutched the deck to her chest. 'They are mine. Dusack gave them to me on my first birthday. He has a deck too. He teaches some of us how to use them. But I've been wondering if he really understands them. I notice new things about them today.'

"Like what?"

'Do you know much about Arcane?'

She shook her head.

'You really need the talent for it, but I can show you.' Choora split the deck into three piles, placing them on the arm of the wheelchair. 'There are three sets within an Arcane deck that follow the Psychic tradition.'

"So an Intelligence set, a Willpower set, and an Emotion set?"

'Correct. The Intelligence set contains 18 cards: the 17 types of magic and the Immortal card. The Willpower set contains 52 cards, four suites of thirteen, similar to a deck of playing cards. The Emotion set contains 22 cards of the cycles of life. So that's 92 cards that one needs to understand the symbolism of.'

Kiri picked up the Willpower set. "Wow, that's a lot to memorize."

'There's a system to it. And the pictures on each card will tell you what they mean, if you're good with symbolism and interpretation. That set you have is excellent for getting details. However, you won't know what those details mean until you have the context from the other two sets.'

"Hmm..." She took one and looked at it. It had a picture of five goblets, each one with something different inside. One was filled with jewels, another with flowers, another with a woman, a fourth with water and a ship, and a fifth with sparkling spheres. "So like this, maybe it means that you have a lot of choices?"

'That's the Five of Cups, and that could be one interpretation. But even that lot is easier to read then the Emotion set. It's supposedly a symbolic guide through life and the pursuit of wisdom. Then again,' Choora took that set and searched, eventually pulling out the card of Death. It pictured Giratina with what could be a sunset or a sunrise in the background.

Kiri looked over it. "You'd think it'd be a bad thing, but something about that picture makes it seem like it's not always that way."

'That's exactly it; the Emotion set gives no exact facts. You have to be able to wrap your mind around conflicting and complex ideas. I'm not that good with this set, although my father can manage readings with it. I don't know how he does it.' She put that set down and picked up the Intelligence set. 'This does give you certain facts, yet sometimes is of little use. It will tell you what something is.'

They continued talking about the Arcane cards until the Gym Trainer returned. "The Leader is ready for you. Do you mind if your friend watches?"

"That's fine." She recalled Choora for the moment, then followed the man to a teleportation tile which brought them straight to the Leader's room.

The lighting was dim, arranged in such a way that it was difficult to tell how big the room was exactly. It was effective at mimicking Granite Cave, especially with the irregular granite floor tiles. Even the air conditioning here was designed to be like the cave while sounding similar to faint sea tides.

Brawly was dressed more for a fist fight than a Pokemon battle. "I probably already know," he started with, "but I need to see your ID card."

"Right." She handed it over.

He gave it a quick check before nodding. The white shield and green concentrator orbs appeared, ready for the battle. "My magic came to me from the rough ocean waves and was strengthened in the darkness of Granite Cave. You had best prove equally tough, or you will not win this battle. Machop, be ready!" He summoned his first Pokemon, a tough little humanoid that seemed like it had been hewn from the cave.

"Go Choora!" Kiri called, summoning her newest team member. "Use Confusion," she added while Brawly gave his orders.

However, the Kadabra was soon distracted by something: a black stone the Machop was wearing on a white headband. She teleported over, snatched the headband, then teleported back to Kiri. Angered, the Machop came over and gave her a Karate Chop across her shoulders.

"That isn't what I told you," she scolded her.

'Oh fine,' she replied. Then she pointed to the Machop. "It's green, the walls are green!"

By the side, Amigo said to himself, "Oh, you're supposed to say something confusing to be more effective."

Choora's Confusion spell knocked the Machop out in one shot. While Brawly was summoning his next Pokemon, Kiri whispered to Choora, "You're giving that back."

'If you must.' She handed the black rock to Kiri. 'I'll do something nifty with my cards.'

"You sure?"

'Of course.'

She looked over at the next opponent. He was a chubby yellow Pokemon that she had seen while wandering around Granite Cave the other day, a Makuhita. "Focus yourself," Brawly ordered, while he cast a yellow aura around him. The Makuhita braced himself.

"Okay, go for it," Kiri said.

Choora called out all 92 of her cards and caused them to spin in a ring around her body. After half a second, she knocked one of them out of the ring with her spoon. The Devil card managed to magnify itself; it bore a drawing of a thin yellow-orange hominoid Pokemon with three red and black snakes for tails. Below it were several people enslaved with stone collars around their necks.

"Aw shoot," Choora mumbled as the Devil Hand spell activated. A sparkling black sphere appeared in the center of the battle field and fired off black rays at everyone. Choora was knocked out. The Makuhita stumbled back at the force of the blow, but stayed alert. Both Brawly's and Kiri's orbs were knocked to half-power.

"I've never really liked Arcane Power," Brawly muttered. "Especially when it pulls that."

Thinking quickly, Kiri took out her flame-covered Pokeball. "Billina, your turn." When the Torchic fully appeared, she added, "Your choice."

"Your choice," Brawly echoed.

Interestingly enough, the Makuhita gave a respectful nod. "You grow into a fighter's spirit, don't you?"

Billina bowed to him. "Certainly."

"Have you grown enough? Be ready."

He ran across the ring to her. Heavier than the Machop, he took longer, but he could hit just with his momentum. Billina was a head smaller than him and much lighter, so she easily darted out of the way and gave him a Scratch. It didn't even leave a mark. He brought together his hands and smashed them into her head. She recovered quickly, pecking him in the foot for her next attack. That hurt him a lot, judging from the grimace on his face. So she pecked him on the other foot, causing him to trip and fall flat on his face. This knocked him out.

Billina gave Brawly a quick bow, then hopped over to Kiri's side. "I'm ready," she said quietly. "But the time isn't right to move ahead."

Kiri tossed the black rock back to Brawly. "Sorry, the Kadabra still needs some work."

"It's no big deal," Brawly said, tossing it back. "Stealing hold items isn't an illegal move, although it will probably infuriate your opponent. And according to the League rules, this King's Rock belongs to you. It focuses a Pokemon's spirit and can cause the opponent to flinch, a good thing for physical battles. Now, for your new spells," he clapped his hands.

The Gym became pitch black. Wally tripped over something. Then a glowing symbol appeared in Brawly's hand. It looked like a sun with three rays.

"This is the symbol for Flash. It will produce a light that will illuminate your path anywhere. It can also make your opponent temporarily blind. So the rest of you, brace your eyes. Also, take care of how you think of this symbol. Other spells use something similar to this, so it's easy to miscast Flash."

"Gotcha," Kiri said. She clapped her hands together once to cast Flash. The Gym became light again. It was nice, although she could have used it a few days earlier instead of now.

'Good work." He made a second symbol appeared, like a puff of breath with an arrow pointing up. "The second spell is Bulk Up. It will boost one Pokemon's physical attack and defense for the duration of one battle. Your Guardian could make good use of this spell, but the thing to remember is that she can only cast it on herself. On the other hand, you cannot cast it on your self, but you can put it on any member of your team."

"I see. Billina, let me try on you."

"No problem," she replied, and held still until she felt a successful boost. Then she bowed.

"And as I told your friend, weaker Pokemon will now obey you. As a Mage, this means that any Pokemon weaker than your Guardian." He smiled at them. "You both are doing well; your rise in the League should cause waves of interest. Take care of yourselves and your Pokemon, and you're welcome to visit Dewford anytime."

* * *

The trip to Slateport was longer, taking a full night. The city by dawn was grand, like Rustboro. An open air market was right next to the gorgeous beach. Flags and tents waved slowly to the sea breeze. Sandstone buildings glittered in the growing day. But they were interested in the Shipyard on the east side of town.

Inside, a group of scientists, construction workers, and sailors were already at work, discussing a half-built sea vessel inside. It seemed like it might become a submarine. After a moment, Kiri tugged at the shirt of one worker. "Hey mister, we're looking for Captain Stern."

"Stern? I believe he's at the museum right now."

"Okay; where's that?"

"It's just north of here," Wally said. "I've been there once."

They went up to the museum. It was quiet, as the morning was too early for most visitors. Near a display of ocean floor fossils, they found a black-haired man in a white lab coat and wide glasses. "Are you Captain Stern?" Kiri asked.

He nodded. "Yes, that's me. Who are you?"

"Kiri and Wally. But can we get some proof?"

He smiled, thinking this was some joke. "Proof of ID, huh? How's this?" He pulled out his Trainer's Card. It had two badges.

"Okay, that's good. Wally, give him the package."

He brought out the black box. "Right. This is from President Stone of Devon."

Stern looked puzzled, but glad. "Oh, you have the Deep Diver? Odd. But I know Mr. Stone wouldn't send important mail with just anyone. Thanks for getting it to me early."

"And thanks for giving it to me!" a harsh voice said. A red-haired man dressed like a CCP follower appeared from the shadows and tried to snatch the package. Following him was a Mightyena, who howled in a way to frighten everyone.

Kiri recovered first and cast Rock Tomb. "No you don't!"

The red-haired ninja jumped back. "Young Mage, you will regret crossing the true Church," he warned. "This is not the place for a Magic Battle, but someday I'll make you pay. Now I'll be taking these goods."

"No!" Stern called, releasing his own Pokemon. "Roar!"

The freed Gyrados barely fit into the room. She roared loud enough to rattle the glass exhibits. The Mightyena whimpered, then ran away out the door His trainer looked on in despair, then glared at the man and two teenagers. "You..." he seemed to realize what an idiot he looked like, so ran off after his Pokemon.

"Phew," Stern said. Then he looked at his Pokemon. "Back you go; this place isn't big enough for you."

The Gyrados chuckled before retreating to her ball.

"Still, wouldn't have made it without your quick casting," Stern added. He looked at Kiri and saw that she was pale. "You okay?"

"Oh, um, I'm fine. Didn't expect to see that inside."

"Sorry. I'd like to meet you properly, but now that we have this device, there's a lot of work to be done. But I'll remember this. Come to me if you have any questions about the sea."

"Okay, we understand," Wally said. "Good luck with your work."

Stern nodded and ran off to the Shipyard.

"Are you okay, Kiri?"

She put her hands over her face. "Ugh, I'll be fine in a bit. I don't like Gyrados, not since one almost killed me."

"Almost killed you?"

"That's why I'm like this." She put her hands down and shook her head. "Well that's finally done. Can we look around Slateport for a while before we head off to Verdanturf?"

"We've still got a ways to go to get there," Wally said. "Mauville's on the way; there's a Gym there."

"You want to get a third badge before meeting up with your aunt?"

He smiled. "Sure, why not?"

Back outside, Billina called herself out. She chirped firmly. "Kiri, could we... go over there?" She looked off to the lighthouse.

"Hmm?" Kiri looked at Wally. "I think she wants to talk to me."

Billina nodded.

"Okay. I'm going to look at the market over there."

"Sure." When he walked off, she looked back to her Guardian. "Okay, let's go."

They went over to the lighthouse, a tall white structure that looked like a chess pawn. There, Billina bowed to Kiri. "It's time."

"What's up? Should I get Choora?"

The Torchic shook her head. Then she summoned a bright ring of orange fire. Everything around them seemed to darken, but other people didn't notice. This time when she spoke, Kiri found that she could understand the chick Pokemon clearly.

"I came to grow with you and as you improve, so shall I. You were given a task of great importance, but also a strong temptation of curiosity. You have followed through with responsibility, completing the delivery safely and ahead of time while not peeking in at it and breaking your honor."

"It was taken from us at one point."

"Yes, but you retrieved it immediately. Also, you have proven the depth of your heart in taking in a misfit Pokemon to be trained into honor. It will be difficult, but I see your determination to see her through. Therefore, it seems the right time for me to grow as well." She bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Great Moltres, mother of my kind, I seek the power to further help my partner. If you find us worthy, please send me your blessing."

The fire then drew in on both of them. Kiri felt her mana focus as it must have when she first earned this magic, building her concentration and power. Surrounded in flames, Billina shot up two feet in height. Her wings grew more like strong arms with long yellow feathers and her legs became nimble and strong. As Vincent had suggested, a Combusken more like a fighter.

When the fire was absorbed, Billina clucked, once again without Kiri understanding. "Thanks you, Moltres. I will serve well."

"Thanks to Moltres," Kiri said with respect. "Let's go find Wally."

He was at the stall of a traveling merchant, looking through a small basket of bookmarks. "You look great, Billina," he said when they came up. "So you must approve of how Kiri's doing."

She nodded. "That's how it goes."

"What're you shopping for?"

"I'm just looking at these for now, but I might get one." He pulled three out of the basket. "Vincent and I have always exchanged bookmarks, see? It started out because we were always trading books, but then it went to these."

"I see." She looked at the three, then pointed to a holographic one of silver boxes. "That one's neat."

"Yeah, he might like it." Wally thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you have a friend like that back in Johto?"

Kiri shrugged. "Not really. I've had lots of friends, sure enough, but not like you and Vincent are."

"Don't you write any of them?"

"Sometimes, but it usually doesn't last long. I moved around a lot when I was little, actually. We must have lived in every town in Johto over the years, and were even in Kanto for a few months. Dad was honing his skills as a Gym Trainer and Assistant, and always got transferred a lot. And Mom did a lot more Contest work before, so she was here, there, and everywhere. I got used to making new friends every year."

"Even after you got handicapped?"

"It wasn't so crazy after that, but we still moved twice, once within Johto and once to here. Course, now that Dad's in charge of his own Gym, they'll probably stick to Petalburg for a while."

"That sounds pretty hard. I've only lived in Petalburg my whole life."

"You get used to it."

Wally bought the holographic bookmark to give to Vincent at some point, then said, "We can probably make Mauville by dinner time if we leave now. Then we can challenge the Gym tonight or tomorrow."

"Sounds good. Let's go."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Captain Samuel Stern  
Job: Engineer  
Hobby: collecting seashells  
Secret: He is a master of scuba diving.

_Pokemon_

Machop  
Trainer: Brawly  
Team: 1st Tier  
Nature: Serious  
Likes: caves  
Dislikes: swimming

Makuhita  
Trainer: Brawly  
Team: 1st Tier  
Nature: Modest  
Likes: physical fights  
Dislikes: mental fights

Scylla (Gyrados)  
Trainer: Stern  
Nature: Hasty  
Likes: being noisy  
Dislikes: being patient

_Spells_

Arcane Power: An attack spell based on cards, it can only be used by those trained to decipher the mystical Arcane cards. It has been likened to the spell Metronome, except that while Metronome can become any possible spell, Arcane Power can become 1 of 92 spells. It is unfortunately best known as one of the few ways one can cast the spell Devil Hand.

Devil Hand: An extremely rare spell, it will attack anyone within a battle shield or attack radius, including the user, for half of their total health/concentration. It appears to bypass elemental resistances, although an unknown factor allows some targets to receive damage of only a quarter of their HP/CP instead. Known ways to cast this spell are either through drawing the Devil card in Arcane Power or through a Shadow-cursed Pokemon; there is no known way to permanently learn it.

_I've been interested in the Tarot for many years, even if I don't entirely believe in it. It has such a nice system of symbolism._

_Actually, I've sometimes found that the Gym Trainers in Dewford Gym can be a lot more of a pain than Brawly. Brawly uses two pure Fight types, while his followers mostly use the Psychic/Fight Meditites that love to spam Detect every other round. Then again, I rarely use flying types by that point in this particular generation._


	12. A Very Bad Day

They took the long path under the Bike Route to Mauville. It was a winding path of grass over a calm lake. "There sure is a lot of water in Hoenn," Kiri said. "Seems like there's a lake, pond, or creek everywhere you look."

"You haven't even seen the east side."

"Why? What's there?"

"A grand sea dotted with hundreds of islands, large and small. In some places, the water is so deep that people and most Pokemon can't dive that far."

"Now how am I supposed to get around that in a wheelchair?"

Wally shrugged. "The Surf spell?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the call of a Pidgeot. It landed, allowing its rider to jump down in front of them. He was a strange, but magnificent teenager. He had perfect golden blond hair that curled, but not enough to be feminine. He had bright blue eyes that seemed to laugh just looking at them. He looked incredibly handsome, which was only enhanced by his clothing: a neat pair of black slacks, a spotless white shirt, and a royal violet half-cape that covered his left arm. When he smiled, it was dazzling. "Hello there, Wally and Kiri."

Wally blinked. "Huh? Why does your voice sound so familiar?"

He made a slight bow. "You used to know me as Vincent Starmie, but I've changed my name as well. I am Victor Gaines now."

"Vincent?" Kiri asked. "But Vincent's a nice nerdy kind of guy."

"It's because of Missingno. Show yourself."

The Pidgeot abruptly dematerialized into a vague static snow. "As there is no one else around, of course."

"Your Guardian can turn into other Pokemon?" Wally asked, awed.

"Being that I'm not certain of myself, yes," Missingno answered.

"We were wondering how you were doing, so decided to Fly around to find you two," Victor added. "How's your journey going?"

"Great!" Kiri said. "We both have two badges, about to go challenge the Gym ahead for a third."

"Going to beat the average of two, are you? He's a cheery old man, so don't let him fool you. It's an electric Gym, so your little Lotad could be in trouble. You guys don't have any type advantage over Electric, but Fire and Fighting both beat Steel... anyhow, his team's easy as long as you're not holding over six badges."

"You've already beat him?"

Victor held up his card. "I have five badges."

"Five?" Wally asked. "How can you have five? We had to spend over two weeks to train our Pokemon for the first Gym and even then, it was tough."

"With Missingno's ability to be anything and my knowledge of type advantages and strategies, it's been real easy. These last Gyms may give me problems, though. We've been doing a bit of training ourselves." He touched his forehead, as if he couldn't get out of the habit of pushing his glasses back even without them. "Speaking of training, how would you like to battle? Two on one, even."

"Sure," Wally said.

Kiri felt a bit surprised. Normally, Wally was reluctant to start fights. But maybe the idea of two against one made him braver. "Okay, but that means regular battle rules."

"I know. Ready Missingno?"

"Ready."

"Go Amigo!" Wally called.

"Billina, you're first," Kiri said.

Amigo chirped and Billina crowed. The Ralts sent a barrage of sparkling stars at Missingno under the Confusion spell, while the Combusken followed up with two mighty kicks. Missingno vanished, then reappeared in a swirl of black behind Amigo. It drew two blades of shadows across him in a Feint Attack, knocking him out cold.

Wally was stunned. He'd never seen his partner go down that fast. "Amigo!"

"Prepare yourself," Kiri ordered, then pulled out Samba's Pokeball. "Here, he likes you."

"Um, okay, go Samba!"

While that was going on, Billina cast Bulk Up on herself. Missingno took the free moment to cast a golden shield around itself. The Lotad appeared and shook his lilypad, ready to attack.

"Use Water Gun," Wally told Samba.

He appeared puzzled for a moment that Wally was giving the orders, but then obeyed. He shot several balls of water at Missingno. The gold shield deflected them all.

"Kay, try again," Kiri called.

Knowing what that meant, Billina went to kick Missingno again. The strange Pokemon countered by summoning a massive wave from the previously calm lake. Billina got knocked into the water by the force of the wave and fell unconscious.

Kiri felt a watery pang as her Guardian was knocked out. But they weren't finished yet. She pulled out her last Pokeball and tried to speak without her voice trembling, "Go Choora."

As Choora appeared, Wally asked Samba, "Try a physical attack instead."

Samba gave a short bark, then begun spinning rapidly in place.

This stopped Missingno's battle focus for a moment. "Huh? But your kind can't learn Rapid Spin."

Choora took advantage of the break to cast Confusion. It broke the Light Screen, but got Missingno's attention. It Feint Attacked her, knocking her out as swiftly as it had Amigo. In the meantime, Samba had launched himself into the lake instead of Missingno. He was okay, but severely dizzy. He didn't stand a chance when the strange Pokemon cast Thunder at him.

"Yikes," Kiri said, shocked herself. "Missingno really is powerful."

"And I've learned many spells from him," Victor said. "Looks like you need to do some more research on your teams."

"We should get to Mauville," Wally said. "You can't revive Pokemon yet."

"Yeah. Well, see you around, Vin... Victor."

He nodded. "Yeah, see you around. Missingno?"

"Sure thing." It turned back into a Pidgeot and flew away with Victor.

"That's really weird," Wally said. "I didn't think a Pokemon could change a human that much."

"Me either. Let's hurry on."

* * *

That night at the Pokecenter, Kiri brought her team out. "Sorry, you guys. I wasn't expecting Missingno to be that powerful."

Billina frowned. "It struck me exactly as I'm vulnerable."

"It was odd that he commented on how Samba couldn't know his move," Choora said. "How's he supposed to know that?"

"Man, I goofed," Samba fussed, hiding under his lilypad in embarrassment. "I really goofed up."

"You were doing something strange," Choora commented.

"I wanna make up for that, but I don't know how."

"Ask the ancient who watches your tribe for help," Billina said.

"Huh? Why an ancient?"

"If you ask for power for yourself, you probably won't get it. But if you ask for help making up for a mistake or for power to protect someone else, you probably will get the power."

"She means try praying to evolve," Choora explained.

"Um, well okay." He crouched down and closed his eyes. "Lugia, father of my tribe, please let me make up for my mistake. I want to help Kiri."

"Is he not feeling well?" Kiri asked, but then a column of water surrounded Samba. Although his lilypad remained the same size, he grew longer both in legs and body.

Once a Lombre, he lifted his body up. "Wow, I feel all tingly."

'He should be fine now, but I'm not sure you should use him in this town's Gym,' Choora told Kiri. Then she told Samba the same thing.

"What? Why?"

The girl nodded. "Right, that's what Vincent said too. It's an electrical Gym. Well, it's still great that you evolved. You might want to stop spinning in battle, though. It's kinda cool, but if it's not doing anything, don't do it."

"I suppose I shouldn't," he agreed.

"Let's get some sleep. There's the Gym tomorrow, then we'll be meeting up with Wally's family."

* * *

A local baker had brought in some bagels to sell, so Kiri and Wally had that for breakfast. Choora came over with a box of pamphlets. 'These seem odd.'

Kiri took the box. "You're only supposed to take one, not the whole box."

'Well it says to take them...'

She pointed out the 'Please take one' note on the box.

Choora scowled and teleported to sit with her back to Kiri.

Wally took one of the pamphlets and looked it over. "Huh, it's some church advertisement. 'See the Truth in our new light and understanding.' Doesn't say much on what they're really about... hey!"

"Hey what?"

He put the pamphlet on the table and pointed to a note in fine print. "This is from the Church of the Creation Play."

"Is it?" Nurse Joy asked as she came up to their table. She took the box and looked at another. "Oh dear, it is. The young man who brought it in seemed very nice, and we don't mind advertising for non-profit organizations."

"It might be non-profit," Wally agreed, "but they tried to disrupt the summoning of Kyogre."

"So I have heard. And they engage in scare tactics against my race, saying that we hold too much influence. These should be gotten rid of." She tapped the box and turned it into ashes.

But then the ashes turned into a noxious black smoke, smelling horribly. The elf screamed, then started coughing. As the smoke detector sounded the alarm, Wally took Nurse Joy's shoulder and with Kiri, helped her outside.

Whatever those pamphlets had been made of, the smoke quickly filled the Pokecenter, driving everyone outside. Nurse Joy was the worst off, shaking violently as she coughed and being hardly able to stand. Before long, policemen, Mauville's Gym Leader, and three other elves appeared in response. These three elves, though, were dressed by their native tastes. Their simple dresses were made of leaves, reeds, or other plant fibers that had been hardly altered from their natural states. They quickly tended to their peer.

"What's happened here?" one of the policemen asked Wally and Kiri, as they were with Nurse Joy.

Wally handed over the pamphlet he had been reading, as it was still whole. "These were in the Pokecenter, but we found out they were from the CCP cult. She destroyed the rest, but then the ashes turned to that smoke."

"That smoke is infused with lead particles," one of the elves said. "We are far more sensitive to that poisonous metal."

"It may not be deadly to the rest," another added, "but we must still examine all who were in the Center so they do not get ill."

After they were examined and asked a few more questions, Wally and Kiri left the scene. "Wattson was there, helping with the investigation," Kiri said.

"How do you know?"

"My Dad had to challenge him to be fully accepted as a new Gym Leader, so I've seen him before. He might be at that for a little while... so, now what?"

"We don't really want to battle much before the Gym, if the Pokecenter is closed off." Wally scratched his head.

"One of the elves will probably stick around, but yeah, I agree."

He opened his bag and pulled out a nine-inch wide green ball. "Want to play with our Pokemon in the meantime?"

Kiri grinned. "You brought a ball along?"

He shrugged. "I figured that it might help my Pokemon relax if I played with them every now and then."

"Actually, that does sound like fun. Okay, let's bring the rest out."

Samba was happy to play in any game that let him run around like mad, which is exactly what he did. Amigo didn't know how to use telekinesis, but Choora did; the ball bounced away from her fast whenever it was tossed her way. On the other hand, Billina didn't think too highly of spending a morning playing. She just looked at the ball when it tumbled near her.

"It's a team-building activity," Kiri told her.

"Is that a fancy term for game?" Samba asked.

"Yes," Billina said. "But when put that way, I suppose it's best to join in."

The Lombre hopped up. "Whatever, just kick the ball already!"

"Alright." She sent it his way, but not at full power. She figured that she could probably kick it clear across Mauville if she did so.

Samba scrambled after it, then stumbled to a halt as someone used the teleport function of Fly to arrive by them. "Sorry, Lombre," Steven said. "I almost crashed into you, didn't I?"

He got up and shook his head. "No worries; I'm not hurt." Then he ran off after the green ball.

"Steven?" Wally asked. "What're you doing here?"

"I came looking for you both. But, I'm afraid I have bad news. After my business in Dewford was finished, I decided to check in with your other friend, Vincent." He shook his head. "But as it turns out, he died a month ago."

Wally paled. "W-what? Dead?"

"How can he be dead?" Kiri asked. "We saw him just yesterday and we've been writing each other this whole time."

He looked puzzled. "Are you sure it was him? Because they just found him in the lake southwest of here. They checked his dental records and DNA, and identified him as Vincent Starmie."

"That's where he went after we split up in Oldale..." then Wally shook his head. "But it can't be him, like she said. I know his handwriting, and his signature is exactly as he writes it, so all my letters are real."

"That's odd. Well, they're holding a visitation right now; I can take you to Lilycove if you'd like."

"I should go," Wally said. "At least to show them that they might be wrong. Do you mind coming too, Kiri? Since you've gotten letters from him too."

"So long as it's okay with you."

"Okay, then. Thanks for taking us there."

Steven nodded. "No problem. Recall your Pokemon, then take my hand." Once they did so, he used Fly to take them to the funeral home in Lilycove. "It'll be awkward for me to be there when I didn't know him. I'll be over at the Department Store."

Once he was gone, Kiri asked Wally, "Do you have any of his letters that don't mention Missingno? I think all of mine do."

"I'm pretty sure there's at least one." Wally opened his backpack and searched through his letter file. He pulled out one written on blue stationary. "Yeah, this one talks about Slateport, but doesn't mention his Guardian. Still, if they matched his teeth and DNA, this'll be hard."

"We still have to try."

"Right."

They entered the solemn place. The only sound was low talking and the rustling of the curtains. There was a casket, but it was closed. Unfortunately, there weren't many people there, just close family.

Wally found his friend's mother near the casket. "Hi Amanda."

"Oh, Wally." She clasped his arm. "I wasn't expecting to see you. Thank you for coming."

"Yeah, but," he handed the letter over. "I think they've got it all wrong. Vincent's been writing me, and Kiri here. And we saw him yesterday. He seemed just fine."

"Really?" She read the letter twice. "This does look like his writing... he's got that odd way of making small n, g, and j."

"I heard they used scientific tests to identify him, but they might still be wrong."

"Maybe. But he's not written us at all, and surely he'd do that." She put her hand to her mouth, uncertain of how to feel. "When did he split up with you? I thought you two might travel together."

"It was in Oldale after the choosing ceremony. He wasn't chosen."

"I see." Vincent's mother then pulled something out of her front pocket. "Well if you were the last two to see him in Oldale, do you know what this is? The... body they found was wearing this."

Wally took it. It was a necklace with a braided metal chain. It had a single pendant, a box shaped like a pagoda. When opened it revealed a small white figurine, a vaguely hominoid Pokemon with three snakes for a tail.

The boy paled. "Th-this is a prayer necklace, but the immortal depicted is Lokire."

"It can't belong to Vincent, then," Kiri said. "That doesn't seem like his kind of thing."

"Of course not," his mother insisted. "But... if this was with him, perhaps he was murdered. Perhaps I should ask for a Purifier tomorrow." She swept her hand over the necklace. "If any evil magic remains, depart at once, in the name of Arceus."

The necklace emitted small black sparks. Then there was a shriek nearby as the casket caught on fire. One of the funeral home staff grabbed an extinguisher and began dousing the fire while the rest guided the guests outside. Like at Mauville, emergency personnel were there within a minute to see what was going on.

"Second smokey building we've escaped, just this morning," Kiri told Wally. "Lucky us."

"This is too weird to be just a coincidence," he replied. "Or maybe this is just an unlucky day."

"That might be."

They got checked again for smoke inhalation, then spoke with the police. The officer interviewing them took the necklace. "I've seen this before," he mumbled.

"Where at?" Kiri asked.

"Does your friend have any connection to the Church of the Creation Play?"

Wally shook his head. "No, not at all. He knows better than that."

"Yeah, why would you ask?"

"Just checking all possibilities. So you both have been in contact with the deceased?"

"He's not dead," Wally said. "And yes, we saw him just yesterday."

"What happened?"

"He challenged us to a friendly battle and advised us on the Gym we were going to challenge. Like he has been."

"Hmm." He made some notes. "We have to find your friend as soon as possible. There turned out to be no remains left in the casket; the body had been faked."

"Why would anyone do that?"

The officer shrugged, but seemed to know more than he was letting on. "It's happened before. Try to make contact with Vincent Starmie and, when you do hear from him again, advise him to speak with us."

"Okay, we will."

They tried to talk to Vincent's mother again, but she was too upset and confused about the whole situation to make much sense. So they said goodbye and went to the Department Store. "Maybe if Missingno hadn't bonded with him, I'd be worried," Kiri said. "He was pretty upset over not getting chosen officially."

"Yeah, it was only because of that that I thought he'd be all right going his own way," Wally agreed. "Maybe I should go with him for a little while. But it'd be kinda hard, if he's working on his sixth badge when I haven't got a third."

"He can help you improve."

"Yeah. Anyhow, I'll write him as soon as we get back to Mauville. I still want to talk with my Aunt and Uncle, though."

They found Steven outside of the Department Store instead of inside. He was talking with a short woman; she had a deep tan and a flowery tropical outfit similar to what other girls were wearing around Lilycove. They noticed the two teens coming up the large ramp to the upper level of Lilycove. "These are the two I was telling you about," Steven told his friend. "Guys, this is Phoebe of the Elite 4. She's an expert with ghosts."

Phoebe nodded. "We were wondering if you two had seen the ghost of your old friend."

"Not unless real ghosts can win Pokemon battles," Kiri said.

"And it was around mid-afternoon," Wally added. "We were passing by the Bike trail, but he teleported in to a sunny area."

"That is atypical of new ghosts. So he must have been alive."

"And I thought you'd take longer at the visitation," Steven added.

"Well yeah, we would have," Wally said. "But then things got weird. Vincent's mother told us he hadn't been writing her, then gave us a prayer necklace they'd found on the body from the lake. It was for Lokire."

Kiri nodded. "And when she tried to dispel any evil magic from the necklace, the casket caught on fire. The police said it was a fake body."

"Has he shown any interest in the CCP cult?" Phoebe asked.

"No," Wally said again. "Why'd you ask that? The policeman did too."

"I regret to inform you, but that is often how we discover new members. It seems one of the first steps to joining the cult is to cut off all ties to your previous life, even to the extent of faking the inductee's death."

"But he seemed normal when we met him. He didn't have any signs of the cult, not like the mask."

Kiri glanced at Wally; perhaps he was thinking the same things as her. Vincent had been disguising his appearance. And the Nurse Joy had said the cursed pamphlets had been dropped off by a 'nice young man'. Granted, with as non-judgmental as the elves were, that phrase could describe nearly any male human between thirteen and thirty. But still, Vincent might have joined the CCP.

"Hmm." Phoebe scratched her chin, then asked, "How old is Vincent?"

"Fourteen."

"But he had already graduated public school?"

Wally nodded. "Right. He's always been really smart."

"Then we'll want to find him quickly. He could be in danger; the cult might be looking to force him to join. Where are you two headed?"

"Um, we're going back to Mauville to challenge Wattson, then to Verdanturf to meet with my family."

"I see. Well, Wally, Kiri, you'll have to be careful as well, since you're in contact with Vincent. This cult has been escalating their activities this year and they've already been known to threaten a wide net of people to get one individual. I'd like Steven to keep an eye on you two, just in case. Do you mind?"

"No, that's fine," Wally replied.

"I'm okay with that," Kiri said.

Steven nodded. "Sure thing."

"Good, then take them back to Mauville. But I'll need you to report back to Ever Grande immediately. If we've caught them in the middle of a scheme, we might be able to break apart CCP now."

"Right, I'll be there."

* * *

As the Pokecenter was still closed up, Wally and Kiri went to a nearby restaurant to write a letter for Vincent.

'Dear Vincent or Victor,

A lot of people are looking for you, because you might be in trouble. Right now, no one's sure if you're alive or dead, or part of the CCP cult. The cultists might even be trying to kidnap you.

They found a body in the lake by Oldale which they initially identified as yours, holding onto a prayer necklace. Steven took us to the visitation, where we showed your Mom one of your letters (don't worry; it was that Slateport one that didn't mention Missingno). Then we realized that the necklace was for Lokire. When your Mom tried purifying that, the body went up in flames; it had been a fake all along.

Later, we found Steven talking to the Elite member Phoebe. When we told her about all this, she got worried and said they would try to find you. The CCP apparently leaves false bodies of new members, but we're sure you haven't done something stupid like join them. So you need to go back home and make sure your parents know you're okay.

Take care of yourself, and Missingno.

Sincerely, Wally and Kiri

PS (from Wally): I forgot to give this to you yesterday. I found it in Slateport and thought of you. Please don't do anything reckless.'

"Maybe you should send it," Wally said, pushing the envelope across the table. "Just to make sure."

She tapped her cheek in thought, then shook her head. "If you really want to make sure, let's send it together. Here." She took the envelope in one hand and offered her other to Wally. "Cast the spell with me."

He nodded and took her hand. "Okay." He closed his eyes and thought on the Mail spell. "Letter, this is an emergency. Fly off with great haste."

Once a double symbol of the spell appeared on the envelope, Kiri added, "Yes, with great haste." Then she threw the letter into the air. It took off to the northeast faster than any letter they had mailed before.

Wally watched it, then looked back at her. "Should we still challenge Wattson? Seems like we've had a lot of bad luck today."

"We can't let that intimidate us."

"True. Okay then, let's see if the Gym is open now."

The Mauville Gym was almost identical to the one in Petalburg: a sturdy structure of white and orange with a flower garden out front. But these flowers all seemed to be yellow, and the flag flying out front was dark blue with a yellow lightning bolt running diagonally across it. Once they came in, Wally was told that he had to solve a switch puzzle to get to Wattson instead of fighting Gym Trainers. It was pretty easy... unlike the battle with Wattson. Amigo had a hard time dealing damage and eventually fell to the Voltorb.

"You're not bad, kid," the old man said. "But you might want to look into investing in a few more Pokemon before continuing the League challenge."

"Oh, okay. I'll work harder."

"And so I've got a Mage to challenge, I hear," Wattson called, shutting off the switch puzzle. "Right then. That last one was a bit weird."

"Who, Victor?" Kiri asked as she rolled up.

He nodded. "Exactly. He only had a Totodile and I had half a mind to tell him to try another Gym for his first. But I accepted his challenge and the critter whaled on my beginner team. But that's the past, and this is our battle. I am Wattson, founder, mayor, and Gym Leader of Mauville City."

"Wow, you must be one busy guy," Kiri declared.

He laughed. He was definitely cheerful. He had white hair around the edge of his head and in his beard. He wore slacks and a brown sweater, attire more suitable for lounging at home than battling in a Gym. But one thing he didn't lack for was confidence. "I have help. Now, my little lass on wheels, show me what you've got." The shield and orbs came up. "Magnemite, you're up!"

Recalling Vincent's musings, Kiri took her flame-patterned ball. "Billina, use fire."

The Combusken obediently cast Ember, dealing the small magnet Pokemon heavy damage. It still struggled on, casting a intense beam of sound at Kiri. The Sonic Boom attack knocked her out of casting Bulk Up on Billina. And before her Guardian could cast another Ember to finish the Magnemite off, Wattson cast Cure over it.

'Right, this would be the level when they can start using healing spells,' Kiri thought. "Again," she ordered.

Billina cast her spell again. The Magnemite repeated its actions too, again striking Kiri. And Wattson again cast Cure. Annoyed at this, Billina focused a little harder on her spell; when she cast Ember this time, she struck hard, knocking the Magnemite out.

"Sometimes you must have persistence," Wattson said as he pulled out his second Pokeball. "Voltorb, go!"

While the Magnemite was obviously part Steel, it was harder to tell if this Voltorb was or not. "Strike it."

"Explode," Wattson countered.

Kiri wasn't sure what that order would do, so watched. Billina darted forward and kicked the Voltorb twice in a neat spin. Again, she didn't quite defeat it. Instead, it glowed yellow briefly before blowing itself up.

She felt a sharp pang in her chest, and for a moment worried that Billina had been knocked out. But the Combusken returned to Kiri's side, heavily injured. The feathers closest to the explosion had been blown off and she was bleeding slightly.

"I hope this is enough," she whispered as she cast Cure over her Guardian. It stopped the bleeding, although the feathers were still missing.

In the meantime, Wattson had summoned a Magneton. It definitely would be tougher to take down than its peer, but the metallic gleam betrayed it as still being Steel.

"You have any stronger fire skills?"

"I could try," she replied, and braced herself for casting a new spell.

Kiri started up Bulk Up again; while the attack boost might be unnecessary, the defense boost would help. On the other side of the battle, Wattson said, "With me; Shock Wave!"

The Magneton crackled loudly, then both of them fire bright bolts of electricity at Kiri. At that, her mind became a total blur...

* * *

As Kiri's orb shattered, Billina felt a moment of panic and rage. 'No,' she chided herself, 'this isn't the time to lose control.' She cast a protective shield on Kiri, just in case. And then...

No, they were playing fairly, she had to keep focused. She picked back up on her new skill, Blaze Kick, and used that against the Magneton. Although the Steel type did take it hard, it didn't go down in one shot. It did lose focus on its spell, so she only had to dodge a Thunder Wave from Wattson. A second Blaze Kick before the Leader could cast Cure again finished it off.

She then glared at Wattson. He'd better not dare to have a fourth Pokemon... she ruffled her feathers hostilely at him. "You meant to do that..."

Sensing her hostility, Wattson's Guardian summoned himself. The Raichu flicked his tail, but showed no anger at her threat. "Stay your claws, young one. The battle is over and your priority is to your partner's safety."

Kiri mumbled as her mind started to clear up. "What...?"

That snapped her out of her temper. Billina went over to her partner. "It's over now."

"That's the first time you've had your concentrator broken, isn't it?" Wattson asked.

Kiri gripped her head. "Yeah... ugh."

Billina patted her arm. "I'll protect you."

"It's Wally, right son? Take your friend to get some sleep. We'll deal with the awarding and teaching tomorrow."

"Is she gonna be alright?" he asked, coming over.

"Sure, once she gets some rest, she'll be as right as rain. Just don't put away her Guardian; she'll worry herself sick if you don't let her stay with her."

"Okay."

But as he came close, Billina instinctively became defensive. Kiri gripped her wing. "It's just Wally."

Billina held her temper in check.. "Yes... I trust you, boy." But she wouldn't like it until he got Kiri to a secure place.

"Can you hold out to Verdanturf?" Wally asked as he pushed her wheelchair out the Gym door. "I'm sure my Aunt and Uncle will let you stay, and it looks like the Pokecenter is still closed."

"Sure, I think," Kiri replied.

Wally brought her east along a charming pastoral Route. But Billina was in no mood to enjoy the scenery. Any Trainers who thought of doing battle had to think again when she glared at them. That got them down the short Route faster, but it was still a long twenty minutes to her.

Wally stopped in front of a two story house with a lush rose garden out front. "Okay, this is where Aunt Betty lives. Wait a moment while I explain."

"Smells like bread," Kiri said, dazed again. "There's a great bakery in Goldenrod. They make great cinnamon rolls. Gold Rolls, they call them." She giggled more than the name needed.

"I'll have to try harder to protect you next time," Billina told her. "At least it was just a Gym." She looked over the house, noticing a security company's sticker on the door. "This place seems safe."

A woman with dark green hair answered the door. "Hello Wally!" She looked over to Kiri and Billina. "Is something wrong?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Kiri lost her concentration in a magic battle. She just needs to rest; could she stay in the first floor guest room?"

She smiled kindly. "Of course we'll help your friend. Bring her on in; I'll go clear some things out of your way."

"Thanks Aunt Betty. And Billina needs to stay with her."

"I remember that from when your mother was a Mage." She nodded to her. "We'll honor your duty, Guardian."

"Thank you," she cooed, then helped Wally get Kiri and her wheelchair inside.

* * *

"Wanda's over in Rustboro with her boyfriend," Betty said as she and Wally set the table for dinner.

"So they finished the Rusturf tunnel?"

She nodded. "Just a few days ago. Todd was at it every day until Roxanne got word of his efforts. Then she and Wattson came out to help him break through."

"That's good for you guys. Less of a trek to get there."

"It's much better. Amigo, would you mind taking this to Billina?" She held out a bowl of a homemade Pokemon food. "You might give her an encouraging word or two."

"Sure." He gripped the bowl; the warm mixture smelled good, but it wasn't for him. He Teleported into the guest room.

Billina ruffled her feathers, but settled down when she saw him. "Oh, sorry Amigo."

"It's okay. I brought you some supper." He put the bowl on a small table, although he still had to stretch to get it up there. "I know you're worried, but you should eat. You can't help well if you're hungry."

"I know," she replied, sounding tired. "I learned of this, yet I'm not sure I really understood."

He could look Kiri over and see that she had recovered some. But to make Billina feel better, he asked, "Is she healing well?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'll eat, then be able to rest."

"Good. We'll be safe here. Even so, I'll keep my senses open."

"Thank you, Amigo."

"You're welcome, Billina. You're my friend as well."

He shared supper with Samba and Choora in the dining room, along with Wally and his family, and the household Pokemon. As usual, the Kadabra wasn't sociable, retreating back to her ball once she had eaten. But no one else minded talking late into the night.

Finally, he and Wally went upstairs to sleep. Amigo got up on the bed, then looked up to Wally. "You're still worried about Vincent."

"Vincent, right?" Wally replied. He sat by him. "It's just weird. Yesterday I could hardly believe he was advancing so fast, but then he and Missingno were really good. And then today, he might be dead or part of a devil worshiping cult. I want to say he's neither, but there's things that don't make sense, like why he's in disguise too or how he's become so powerful when Kiri's worked hard to get where she is."

"I haven't met him except in battle, but I feel what you feel." He put his hand to his cheek. "That Missingno was strange; he gave me the chills, but somehow I felt sorry for him."

"I had hoped that he'd respond by now." He glanced out the window, then looked down at his feet. "If his mail is being blocked, the letter would have returned to us. Or if he's really dead. I hope not."

"I wish I could really talk to you."

As tired as he was, Wally went into a light sleep a short time later. Amigo stayed up, though. It was one of the things an older male Ralts had told him. "Consider your troubles at night, and if they still remain at light, send them to the rising sun." It was something he had done before, but he'd always fallen asleep before dawn.

Amigo thought over the situation long and hard.

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Phoebe Pyre  
Job: Elite 4 Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Know the mysteries of ghosts  
Hobby: making seashell necklaces  
Secret: She's been in contact with the dead since she was a little girl.

Wattson Thundara  
Job: Part-time mayor/Gym Leader/Master Wizard  
Battle Strategy: shocking speed  
Hobby: electrical engineering  
Secret: At 68 years old with 42 years of service, he is one of the longest continuously-serving Gym Leader in the world.

_Pokemon_

Magnemite  
Trainer: Wattson  
Team: 1st and 2nd Tier  
Nature: Mild  
Likes: magnetism  
Dislikes: water

Voltorb  
Trainer: Wattson  
Team: 1st and 2nd Tier  
Nature: Impish  
Likes: exploding  
Dislikes: not being used

Magneton  
Trainer: Wattson  
Team: 2nd and 3rd Tier  
Nature: Lonely  
Likes: thunderstorms  
Dislikes: city laws restricting its use

_Places_

Slateport: Although called the Gray City by the Sea, Slateport is very colorful. As one of Hoenn's two major ports, there is a large mixture of cultures and ideas that make it ideal for a number of organizations. These include the Contest League, the Pokemon Fan Club, the World Trade Market, the Oceanic Research Group, the Fisherman's Guild, and the Engineer's Guild.

Mauville: Forty years ago, the eccentric Wizard Wattson brought an organized mystic-electric power grid to Hoenn. Two electric power stations were required for this task. One he built near the existing city of Lilycove. The second he built north of Slateport, then built up an entirely new city to support it. Mauville has one of the temporary Gym licenses, but given that it is in Wattson's name, it is joked to be permanent until his death.

Lilycove: The largest city in Hoenn, it is estimated that nearly everyone in the region has a connection to Lilycove. Businesses both large and small flourish under its laws. Lilycove is known for three things: the Department Store, the sheltered beach, and the enormous diversity of foods in the hundreds of restaurants and food stalls. However, it also has a Contest Hall, an Art Museum, the Trainer Fan Club, and many bed-and-breakfast inns.

_Long chapter, for this fic. I forget how exactly I divided chapters up for this one. But on reading back over it, I realize that Kiri probably shouldn't have recovered that quickly after having Billina knocked out in the fight against Victor. All well, no major changes for this one._

_Wattson's Gym can either be a cakewalk or a total pain; it all depends on what Pokemon you have at that point. At least with all the routes and Trainers around Mauville, it's not hard to level up your team. Back when I first posted this, I had Wattson's Pokenav entry claim that he was the oldest continually serving Gym Leader. But with Black and White having Drayden (and he seems like the sort to stick with it), I altered it._


	13. Missingno's Quest

When Kiri got up the next morning, the smell of waffles and flowers filled the air. Billina was lying at the foot of the bed, looking sleepy eyed. "You just woke up too, huh?"

She cooed and shook herself awake. "I wasn't able to sleep until your mana stabilized."

"I'm all right now. Good work on finishing the battle for me." She stretched her arms, then looked around. "Can you get my bag so I can change?"

Nodding, she got up and fetched the bag. Kiri picked out her darkest jeans and a hot pink t-shirt with a Spinda on it for today. Billina also brought the wheelchair over. She would have helped Kiri get in it, but she was so used to the action that it didn't even take a minute. By then, her stomach growled.

"Okay, let's go get some food. I hope they have enough for everyone."

Betty was in the hall as Kiri left the room. "Good morning, Kiri," she said. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks for letting me stay."

"No problem; we'll help any friend of our family."

"Although I'm sure I'll be much better after breakfast," she added as she rolled by.

Betty laughed lightly. "Gone on ahead, I've got some waffles made up already. And there's plenty of berries to go around, so give your Pokemon whichever ones they'd like." Then she turned to the stairs. "Wally! Are you up yet?"

"Sorry," he called, running down the stairs. It looked like he had dressed in a hurry, but his face was beaming. "Amigo evolved this morning and he can talk to me now, so we kinda lost track of time."

Amigo appeared at the bottom step before Wally did. As a Kirlia, he was about twice as big and looked more feminine than before. 'I'm a bit tired, though,' he told Wally. 'I was up all night thinking.'

"You can rest today; we won't be going anywhere."

"You look really cool now," Kiri told Amigo.

'Oh, well, thanks, but I hadn't thought of that,' he replied. 'I just wanted to be able to talk with you guys like Choora can.'

"Well let's go on to the dining room," Betty said, just before there was a knock at the front door. "That's odd; I wonder who's here this early."

"Wanda?" Wally asked as he followed his aunt out of the hallway, Kiri coming just behind him.

"No, she's going to be with Todd for a couple more days." When she answered the door, there was a frazzled looking teen on the other side. "Vincent, is that you? What's wrong, dear?"

"Vincent?" Wally asked, peering out the door. "What happened to you?"

No longer using his illusion, Vincent seemed even paler than before and out of breath. His hair was wrinkled and dirty. The holographic cube bookmark was sticking out of his shirt pocket. "I'm not dead," he said, after calming his breath a bit.

"That's nice to know," Kiri said cheerily.

"We can tell," Betty added. "Come on in; you look like you haven't eaten for a while."

"I was going to eat dinner with my family last night," he said as he came in. "But nothing I could do or say could convince them that I was Vincent and that I was alive. They thought I was some con artist trying to take advantage of you two, and them."

"That is odd," Betty said. "Although, you know..."

"What?"

She whispered something to him. Vincent turned pink, then replied.

"Well that means you can only be Vincent," Betty concluded, heading into the kitchen. "Stay as long as you need to; we might be able to convince others from here."

Despite that offer, he was reluctant to say much more while they ate breakfast. Kiri had been planning on heading back to Mauville, but stuck around to hear what Vincent had to say. Hopefully Wattson wouldn't mind her coming back late.

Vincent seemed to be feeling better after he had eaten and taken a shower. While Wally's aunt and uncle were away at work, they sat in the living room to discuss what had happened. Kiri told him what they had heard and seen so far. Missingno hung back in its natural form while Billina stood by Kiri and kept an eye on it. Samba seemed nervous and hid quietly by a chair, while Amigo and Choora held a conversation on their own.

"The CCP cult is probably building up to do something," she finished with. "But there's not much more we can do. I've been half-expecting Steven to show up to check on us."

Wally nodded. "Yeah, he's a nice kind of guy."

"I see." Vincent pulled his glasses off to look at them, then put them back on. "I hope they won't harass you if they're after me, but they wouldn't think logically. Of course I wouldn't join them."

"That's good," Wally replied. "I didn't think so."

"So why are you going around as Victor?" Kiri asked.

"It's because other Pokemon can still sense something off about Missingno. If I hadn't used that disguise, people would definitely think I was up to no good. As of now, they're not too certain of Victor, but I won't get in as much trouble. When Missingno redeems itself, then we can go back to our normal selves."

"I've gotten better, I think," Missingno added. "I sort of remember some things."

"Like what?" she asked, sitting up straighter.

It tensed up, condensing its static form. Then it drifted over to Vincent's side. "The thing is, I know why Lokire and therefore his cult is after you. I'm really sorry."

"Why are they after us?" Vincent asked.

"I used to be in Lokire's service, until you bonded with me. I did it partly to escape him, but mostly because I wanted to be forgiven and accepted again."

"How does a Guardian wind up in the service of Lokire? I understand if you're seeking forgiveness," he added, "it just sounds odd."

"I'm still not sure what I did wrong. I was foolish back then, though, so I may have broken the rules of the Guardians."

"That would do it," Billina said, "but only if it was a severe and blatant break."

"I know it had to be bad," it replied. "But I was angry at the punishment, thinking it was unfair to disown me and dismiss my form. Lokire found me like that and talked me into helping him. He gave me a fraction of his power, which is all I have now."

"Wait, so you can turn into any Pokemon and use any attack, I assume," Kiri interrupted.

"Pretty much," Vincent agreed.

"And randomly change stuff like that lamp," she pointed to a glass lampshade with painted flowers that had previously been made of brown fabric and buttons, "but that's only a fraction of Lokire's power?"

"Right," Missingno answered. "He was born of chaos, like Arceus, but he seeks to remain chaotic. The only reason Lokire has a form is because Arceus named him, forcing some order to him. But he can look like anything or anyone if he chooses, and he can shift entire landscapes. He can even shift DNA, which is why my power is so unstable and messed up."

"Then you're trying to be not as messed up?" Wally asked.

"Yes. Several years ago, Lokire sent me to hassle a Mage who had a lot of promise, and potential to interfere with our doings. I managed to fool his Guardian and become part of his team. Although that Guardian was a bit daft, he reminded me of that life, the rules, and what it was like to have a partner. I got really depressed and eventually asked the Mage to let me go, so that he could continue on without interference from me or Lokire.

"Obviously, Lokire didn't like that and tried to punish me. But the shock and pain of realizing how wrong my life had become was far worse, a guilt that he couldn't counter. Ever since then, I've been trying to avoid his notice. I think if I help you become a proper Wizard and if we do something great, it might be enough for me to prove myself worthy."

"Then they're not going to quit until they have you back under control," Wally thought aloud.

Missingno seemed to grow bluer. "I'm afraid so."

"Well I'm not afraid," Vincent said. "We'll keep on the move. I'm sure we can..."

A knock at the front door interrupted the conversation. Everyone tensed. If anyone else learned they were potentially provoking the devil Pokemon, they would certainly try to talk the teens out of it.

'It's just Steven,' Choora told them.

"Why don't we go into the other room?" Billina asked Missingno. "I want to see what you remember of being a Guardian."

"What for?" it asked nervously.

"You seem to be honest. I want to make sure that you won't be making any mistakes again while trying to be redeemed."

"I see. Thank you." It turned to Vincent. "We're going to talk elsewhere. Just, don't let him come upstairs."

"Okay," he replied.

Wally went to answer the door. "Good morning, Steven."

He smiled warmly. "Good morning, Wally. You two doing okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine." He glanced back in the living room to make sure Missingno and Billina were gone. "We found Vincent. Do you want to come in?"

"If it's all right."

Wally nodded, then brought him in. "Vincent, this is Steven Stone. Steven, this is my friend Vincent. He just showed up this morning."

Steven shook hands with him. "Good to meet you. But you've got a lot of people worried about you, especially your folks."

"Yeah, I know," he replied sheepishly. "I had taken on a research project in Slateport. Guess I got too deeply concentrated to think about contacting anyone beyond Wally and Kiri."

"I see. Well I should take you to the Lilycove police to speak with them. They can explain some of what's gone on, if these two haven't already."

"We don't understand a lot of it," Kiri said. "Write us if anything interesting comes up."

Vincent nodded. "Okay. What are you two going to be doing now?"

"I still have to talk with my aunt and uncle about some things," Wally said. "I'll probably be here for a few days."

Kiri then said, "I have to go back to Mauville to talk with Wattson, then go find whatever fourth Gym I can reach. I want to challenge my dad by the end of summer."

"The only other Gym you can reach right now is Flannery's Gym in Lavaridge," Vincent told her. "It's gonna take you a couple of days to get up there, though. The Routes you need to take are pretty long."

"If you're going up that way, you'll want to avoid the Windy Desert," Steven added. "At least until you have the Flame Badge. It's a bit rough out there, with the constant sandstorms and loose sands. But you can still reach Lavaridge."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," she replied.

"Hey Kiri," Wally added, "I was thinking... after we both have our teams filled out, want to battle?"

Kiri grinned. "Sure thing. I'm sure we'll find some interesting Pokemon on the way."

Wally grinned back. "I'll look forward to that."

* * *

"There she is!" Wattson called cheerfully Kiri came back in. "You doing alright now?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Right then. Just one thing to do before we chat." He looked at the Combusken.

Billina glared at him.

Wattson bowed in repentance. "Loyal Guardian, I am sorry for breaking your partner's concentration yesterday. I do not mean her harm. Would you forgive me?"

After giving him a cautious lookover, Billina bowed in return, accepting the apology.

"Good, good. Whenever you break another's concentration, you want to apologize to the Guardian as soon as you see the Mage or Wizard well again. They consider not doing this a grave disrespect; your own Guardian will disapprove."

"Okay, I'll remember to do that."

"Let's get to business, shall we? That was a fine battle yesterday and I must say, I'm impressed with how well you've trained your Guardian. Many of them panic when their partner's concentration is broken the first time, such as how young Mages react when their Guardian falls the first time."

"I know; that was pretty tough."

"So here is your reward: the Thunder Badge! It will speed up your Pokemon a bit. And you get to learn Rock Smash." He summoned a rock into the arena. It had a symbol that seemed to be of a rock breaking into many pieces. "This will break many things that Cut cannot handle, but Rock Smash cannot be used on most things that can be Cut. For rocks and weaker metals, Rock Smash is fine, but for bushes and other wooden objects, it won't work."

"I see." Kiri made a fist and brought it down into her lap. The rock was promptly destroyed.

"It won't work on all rocks at your current level. And for your second, I have something special. You know what it is?"

"Shock Wave?"

"Right. Knowing it should raise your own defenses against it, which will help if you run into another Mage or Wizard who can cast it. Shock Wave never misses! However, it does give you some nasty static cling issues, so be careful who and what you touch after casting it." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Of course, your wheelchair might ground you better, so you can get rid of any extra charge you get."

"So what's the symbol?"

"Ah, sorry. Old age gets to ya sometimes. The symbol for Shock Wave is up there." He pointed to a lightning rod behind him. There was a symbol of four zigzagging lines. "There's other symbols close to this, so make sure you have the right one."

"Sure." Kiri aimed the Shock Wave at the lightning rod and successfully cast it.

"Excellent. Say, did I hear this right, that you're the daughter of the new Gym Leader in Petalburg?"

She nodded. "Yup, that's my dad. If I get one more badge, I can challenge him."

"Now that would be an exciting battle to witness. Good luck, lass. Take care of yourself and your Pokemon."

"Thanks!" She left the Gym and went to the Pokecenter.

It appeared to be back to normal operations, save for the police officer who sat in a corner seat and watched the people coming and going. The elf there was healing a girl's Pokemon. "Be more careful with your mother's Pokemon."

"Yeah, I will be. Thanks." She ran off.

Nurse Joy smiled at her. "Welcome. How may I help you?"

Kiri handed over her Trainer's card. "I have three badges now, so I can learn a new spell from your race."

She nodded and handed the card back. "That is thoughtful of you. The second spell we teach is Restore." The symbol she drew in midair looked like a square within a circle. "Pokemon can only cast a spell so many times. Then their mana restricts use of the spell to keep them alive. Restore causes lost mana to regenerate immediately, as when using an ether. It will even work with yourself, but it is a rare occurrence when a human loses all usable mana."

"That sounds like a good spell." She cast it once for practice.

"That is satisfactory. When you have five badges, you may learn another one of our spells. Take care of yourself and your Pokemon."

* * *

It was a pleasant ride at first. Small ponds were scattered everywhere, rippling with fish Pokemon. The grass came halfway up her wheels and held many wildflowers, but wasn't that difficult to get through. Every now and then, a trainer would challenge her, but none of them proved difficult. Between Heal and Restore, she kept her team in top shape as they went up Route 111.

Around four in the afternoon, she noticed a brown haze beyond the ridge to her right. "Huh, that must be the desert Steven warned me about," she told Billina. "That's some sandstorm."

"I don't want to go there," Samba said. "All that sand sounds gritty."

"We're going the other way," Billina replied.

"Oh good."

"Up towards the volcano."

"Where's it's all ashy?" he cringed. "I don't like dirty air."

"Would you rather deal with ash or sand?" Choora asked.

"Um... I dunno."

"Hello over there!" an energetic voice called. It belonged to a well-dressed woman with short blond hair. With her was a black haired man with an odd device. It was a large glass lens, heavily enchanted, that was supported by a two black handles. "Could you give us a minute?"

"A minute of what?" Kiri teased her. "You seem kinda familiar."

She smiled, showing perfect white teeth. "I'm the host of 'In Search of Trainers', Gabby. And this is my husband and cameraman, Ty."

"Oh, that show. I only moved to Hoenn a few months back, so I've only seen it a few times. I like it."

"Thanks. Now while we focus on Trainers, we love to interview up and coming Mages. Would you mind giving us a battle and interview?"

"No problem! You three ready?"

"Always!" Samba cheered. "Except when it comes to sandstorms."

"Ty will be recording, but I always fight Doubles. Are you ready dear?"

"Working on it." He tapped his mystical camera, producing a golden aura behind it. "Okay, we're filming."

"We're out on Route 111 now," Gabby said perkily to the camera. "And we have a special guest this time, a new Mage out on her first journey. What's your name?"

"Kiri."

"Okay Kiri, are you ready for battle?"

"Yes! Samba, Billina, you're up."

"And I call Magnemite and Whismur!" Gabby deftly threw both Pokeballs out while holding onto her microphone. "Sound attack!"

Given her experience with Wattson, she knew she had to take out the Magnemite before it struck Samba. "Flame and gun the magnet."

Billina moved first, shooting small fireballs at the Magnemite. Samba soon followed with a similar attack with water balls. The Ember attack heated up the steel body of the magnet Pokemon, causing the Water Gun attack to hiss and turn to steam upon contact. This was too much for it to handle and it dropped to the ground before getting off a single attack.

The Whismur started shrieking, causing all three of Kiri's Pokemon to cringe. Kiri pointed to the Whismur. Samba and Billina understood that to be orders to attack as they wish. Samba ran up and tackled the screaming Pokemon. Waiting him to get out of the way, Billina then jumped in and kicked the Whismur into a tree. That knocked it out.

"He hurt my ears," Samba moaned.

"At least you were fighting," Choora replied, rubbing her own. "I got hurt for nothing."

"You have remarkable battle skills," Gabby told Kiri. "Makes me wonder what you're like in a Magic battle."

"Well I can't show you that," she said.

"Lucky for me, I suppose. It's very unusual to find a handicapped Trainer. How do you manage traveling around by yourself?"

"The same way I manage everything else."

"And that is?"

"Not letting anyone tell me what I can't do. I'm always looking for what I can do despite any obstacles. And really, I think I have the traveling part easier."

"You do? Why's that?"

She patted the right wheel of her chair. "Cause this baby moves really fast. Billina can't even keep up with me when I go all out."

"Someday, I'll be able to," Billina said.

Gabby laughed. "That's true; I hadn't thought of that. So what did you think of our battle?"

"It was pretty noisy. If I had acted any slower, you might have had a chance."

"So Kiri, what do Pokemon mean to you? In just a few words, please."

"Hmm." She scratched her chin. "They're the best friends you can ever ask for, but they also push you to become your best."

"That's a lovely way to say it. Where are you headed now?"

"Lavaridge. I'd better go so I can get there tomorrow."

"All right, it's been great battling with you. We're out for now." Once the gold aura vanished, she added, "I hope you get to see this on the air."

"I hope my parents see it more than me. Well, goodbye now."

"Goodbye, Kiri."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Betty Verdanturf  
Job: florist  
Hobby: baking  
Secret: She once answered an embarrassing question for Vincent, but has sworn not to tell what exactly he asked about.

Gabby Gallagher  
Job: TV reporter/personality  
Battle Strategy: Disrupt your opponent often  
Hobby: her career  
Secret: She used to have a really bad lisp.

Ty Gallagher  
Job: Cameraman  
Hobby: advising his wife on battles  
Secret: He's a much better battler than she is.

_Pokemon_

Magnemite  
Trainer: Ty  
Nature: lax  
Likes: attention  
Dislikes: latex

Whismur  
Trainer: Gabby  
Nature: Adamant  
Likes: curry  
Dislikes: being startled

_Places_

Verdanturf: Due to its location relative to Mount Chimney, Verdanturf is the healthiest city in the region. Delicate plants grow well in the volcanic soil, the mineral waters are pure, and the air is cleaner than anywhere else. With all this going for it, many people with frail health come to recover and strengthen themselves. It hosts the Beginner's Contest Hall, where the judges are most encouraging and helpful to new Coordinators.

_I wish Restore was a real thing in Pokemon games. Ethers are all right, but some areas are so large. Thankfully, the newer games have ways to heal Pokemon and restore PP other than items in such places._

_Gabby and Ty roam around Hoenn in a pattern, so you can fight them many times. And they always have the same two Pokemon, save for evolving, so they're fairly easy foes._


	14. Result of Attempt: Failed

As the sun was setting, Kiri came upon a campsite. Two green tents were pitched by a grove of evergreen trees and a lively fire was being corralled into staying in its stone ring. Two teenagers in the green Young Rangers uniform were here. While the boy worked on controlling the fire, the girl was preparing supper nearby. "Hi there!" Kiri called.

"Hi, fellow traveler," the girl called back. "Would you like to join us?"

"Sure, thanks. I got some stuff I bought for my own supper I can share."

"Great, and we'll share too."

"It's part of the Ranger's Creed," the boy said, although he kept an eye on the fire.

As they shared a miscellaneous assortment for supper, the Young Rangers explained that they were practicing for a badge they were going to try for. "We'll have to camp for two weeks in the Tropius Rainforest," the girl Lori explained. "But if we want to be full Rangers later on, we have to earn this badge."

A shrill birdcall from above got their attention. A tall bird that had steel feathers landed at their campsite. "Hah, I've found you," she said triumphantly.

"What's a Skarmory doing down here?" Jason asked. "I thought they were mostly seen north of the volcano, if seen at all."

"I think this one belongs to someone," Kiri said thoughtfully. Pokeballs left an aura marker on the Pokemon they were connected to; she was beginning to notice this marker on them.

Then Steven and his Metagross appeared. "Here you are. Good work, Etna."

The Skarmory held her head high. "Of course."

"You came looking for me?" Kiri asked playfully.

"Of course; I'm supposed to make sure you don't get in trouble." He nodded to the Young Rangers. "Hope you don't mind another person around."

"Omigosh," Lori exclaimed, "You're Steven the Magic Champion, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's me," he said, apparently a little embarrassed at her enthusiasm.

That didn't lessen it, though. "Oh wow, I never thought I'd actually get to meet you. You're like the most amazing Trainer in Hoenn."

"I thought you liked Wallace," Jason commented.

Lori frowned. "Not since I met him in person. He refused to let me join his Gym. I can't believe it; it was completely unfair."

"You don't have any Water Pokemon."

"I could get some whenever I have to. There's well over a dozen species of that type in this region alone."

Kiri and her Pokemon were tired after traveling most of day, so they went to sleep shortly after supper. Steven set up his own tent nearby and watched the two Routes at this junction.

* * *

A sharp piercing pain woke Kiri in a flash. The red-haired man from the museum was kneeling over her, his white mask bearing a violet Poison symbol. "Hail, little troublemaker," he hissed softly. "We need one of the Gym Leaders to cooperate right now, and you just happen to have irritated me last. There's nothing you can..."

A silver slash of energy struck the cultist. For a second, she thought the Skarmory had attacked. But it was Steven who had unleashed the Steel Wing attack. ""Keep away from her."

Cussing under his breath, the ninja vanished in a black haze. Kiri tried to sit up to see what had happened, but couldn't manage for the pain. It felt like a freezing knife was stuck in her shoulder, although there was nothing that large there. Steven put his hand on her other shoulder to check on her.

Billina appeared, looking flustered. "What happened?" She glared at Steven. "You..."

"He's trying to help," Prinny said from outside the tent.

"I don't mean any harm," Steven echoed, trying to sound calm. "This, though, this is a black... Etna! I need you to fly her and her Guardian to the Lavaridge Pokecenter."

"As you wish," she replied.

He then picked Kiri up and set her on the Skarmory's back. "We can't teleport you with that lodged in your chest. Hang onto her neck as well as you can. Billina, you make sure she stays on."

"This had better be a good way to get help," the Combusken replied.

"I'll get you there fast," Etna replied. Once Steven patted her neck, she ran a few steps, then took off into the air rapidly. The trees and then rocks of the Route below became a dark blur. Kiri's eyes and skin stung from the air rushing at them. Whatever the cultist had struck her with was growing more painful and colder.

The misty streetlights of Lavaridge came up on them before Kiri realized it. It was only drizzling, but the muddy state of the sidewalks showed the rain had been going on for some time. A low lying haze covered the ground. Etna landed into a soft run up to the Pokecenter, then walked through the automatic door.

"You are in some hurry," the Nurse Joy said. She left the seat where she had been reading to come over, but stopped a few feet away. "Oh dear, that is why." She vanished, reappearing less than a minute later wearing green gloves and a kit of some sort. "Help me lay her on her back, Guardian. Skarmory, if you would watch the front door and make sure no one comes in for a little while."

"Sure thing," Etna replied as Billina and the elf pulled Kiri off her.

The elf removed Kiri's shirt, then brought out her tools. "You have a black minus crystal in your chest," Nurse Joy explained. "It drains mana from your body and can be deadly if left in." She started pulling the minus crystal out carefully. "But this is a fresh wound. It should only take a few hours for you to recover."

When pulled out, the minus crystal was a black shard of glass with a negative aura, drawing in the power of life to make up for its lack. The elf placed it in a small metal box, then healed the wound and helped her redress. Her body was already recovering from the chilling effect. "Thanks, Nurse Joy."

"It is my duty."

Etna squawked. "Sorry, can't let even you in."

"It is fine now, Skarmory."

"Alrighty then." She nodded as Steven came in.

He had a burn across his cheek, but that seemed to be the only injury he had taken. He had her wheelchair and bag. "Is she okay?"

"She will be fine." Joy touched his cheek with a bit of magic, then summoned an ice pack. "Hold this against your burn and try to avoid talking for the next hour. That should keep any scars from forming."

He nodded. Joy and Billina helped Kiri back into her wheelchair. "Could we sign in for the rest of tonight at least?"

"Of course. There are still rooms available."

* * *

It continued raining throughout the day. "A lot of the mountain paths are closed off," Steven said. "Mud and rock slides are causing all sorts of problems."

"Does this happen every time it rains a lot?" Kiri asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. The thing is, it hardly ever rains around Lavaridge. What they've had in the few hours we've been here is over their yearly average. It's the sacred town of Groudon; it's supposed to be very sunny." He took a sip of iced tea, then added, "It started raining shortly after Kyogre's ceremony, and hasn't stopped for more than a few hours."

"It might be that cultist and his weird Pokemon."

"The Castform? Might be, although they aren't known for being powerful."

"Huh." Kiri thought about it, then asked, "So if this place is like Dewford, do they have a ceremony coming up?"

Steven nodded. "They do, in a little over a week. But there's a complication if you mean to do the Gym Challenge."

"What's that?"

"Flannery was named the Leader about ten months ago and the old Leader has gone off to the Sevii Islands. This will be her first time performing the ceremony, and under these signs," he pointed out the window and shook his head, "things aren't looking good for her."

"It must be pretty tough to summon an immortal."

"Well it also depends on the immortal... but yes, this particular summons is very tough. Brawly's been Leader for five years and while he is more used to it, he still fainted under these abnormal conditions. The Elites are worried enough about her that they requested that she not conduct any magic battles for a week prior to the ceremony, and not to conduct any battles at all for three days prior."

"So if I want to challenge her, I'd better do it today."

"If you're up to it."

"You should wait until evening," Nurse Joy said as she walked by their table. This was a different elf, but apparently she'd been informed. "You are well now, but you should still hold off."

Kiri nodded. "If you say so."

Then the elf tapped Steven. "And I have received a message from my peer in Rustboro, Steven. Your father would like to see you today for something of importance."

He sighed. "Fine, I'll go see what he wants." He got up and rapped the table. "Be careful, Kiri. You're probably safe within Lavaridge, so don't go far."

"Not that she can go far alone," Joy commented. "The terrain is rough in these parts, even without the mud and rain. You will have to take the sightseer path up to the Cable Car to get off this volcano."

"I should be fine," she said, secretly relieved that he wouldn't be 'guarding' her. He was a nice guy, but still, she could take care of herself.

That evening, she rolled into the Gym after reading the sign. "One who burns with a fiery passion, interesting," Kiri thought aloud. The inside of the Gym was like a bathhouse, with wooden floors and steam clouding her vision. A man wearing light-colored clothes greeted her. "Good day. What challenge are you here for?"

"Mage's challenge."

"Alright. Come with me." He walked over to where two statues were. "Trainers have to pass a geyser puzzle, but as always, you go direct to the Leader."

"It's not any easier," Kiri pointed out.

"True." He pressed a hidden switch on the left statue, opening a door to the hidden chamber. "Leader Flannery, you have a Mage to challenge."

Flannery was a young woman with large ponytails of bright red hair. She wore distressed blue jeans with a black baby-tee bearing a flame symbol. Around her neck was a black choker with steel spikes. She got up from her sitting position and nodded. "All right, leave the room."

"Yes, m'am."

Once he left, she took a deep breath. "Do you mind giving me a minute? I wasn't expecting another Mage challenge for a while."

"That's fine." She relaxed back into her chair. "It's nice in here, despite all the steam."

"It's healing waters from the local hot springs. It does wonders for your body and soul."

"I believe it. So why weren't you expecting another Mage?"

"Birch told me there were three chosen and that one had gone to the Trainer's School while another had gone to apprentice under Wallace. Only one was supposed to be on the League challenge; maybe that Victor had been from another land."

"Maybe," Kiri said, covering for who she still thought of as Vincent. "I moved here with my family a little while ago."

Flannery smiled. "Oh right, you must be Norman's daughter then. He mentioned you might be coming by soon."

Kiri grinned. "Yup, that's me."

"Then this should be fun." Flannery snapped her fingers, summoning the white shield and the concentrator orbs. "Norman's one tough cookie, so let's see if you take after him. I've been told that I take after my Grandfather, once an Elite 4 member here. So let's begin with Maggie!"

"Go Samba!" Kiri called.

"I won't fail here!" Samba crowed, glad to have a Gym he could star in again.

Flannery put her arm to her chest and said, "With me; Overheat!" She swept her arm down and, with her Slugma, summoned a huge burst of red fire at Samba. He might have been able to handle one Overheat, but two was too much. Samba fainted.

This wasn't a good start. "Choora, come." Once the Kadabra appeared, she said, "Arcane."

'If you're certain.' She summoned her deck of cards and spun them in a circle around herself. She drew one: Dark. A black beam fired at the Slugma, who responded with a Flamethrower spell. Choora got burned and retaliated with Psywave, knocking Maggie out. Kiri had to pull out a Burn Heal to use.

But the Kadabra was already weak, so Flannery was able to summon a second Slugma, then use Flamethrower herself to knock out Choora. That just left Billina, and while she withstood Overheat well, Flannery and her Slugma had several non-Fire moves that knocked her out as well.

"Wins and losses come and go," Flannery said. Then she snapped her fingers. "Paul, would you help them back to the Pokecenter?"

* * *

Next morning at the Pokecenter, Kiri brought out her three Pokemon. "Well that was a bad run. Sorry guys."

'At least losses in a Gym don't come with the possibility of being eaten,' Choora told her.

"Battle losses happen," Billina said, thinking over her first loss back in Rustboro. "We should consider what happened and make a new strategy to defeat her."

Samba crouched down on the ground, trying to hide his eyes with his lilypad. "Aw man, I'm sorry. I should've rocked against them, but they got me bad. I'm not doing good anymore."

After Choora translated this, Kiri leaned over to pat his lilypad. "I'm really sorry to you, Samba. I didn't think they would start out so strong. But I noticed that the spell seemed to weaken them. If we can survive that initial Overheat attack, I think we can still do this."

"I'll try to be tougher, but I don't know."

"We do have to wait for a while until we can challenge her again, because of her ceremony. We'll work on it."

A movement outside the window caught her eye. An envelope was fluttering there; it shifted through the window and came to her. It was from Wally and Vincent.

"Did they hear about that ninja already?" She opened the letter.

'Dear Kiri,

We heard that you got attacked yesterday; are you all right? The news program just said that you were recovering, but they didn't say what had hurt you or how badly. Well, they also didn't say who was attacked, just four travelers near the Windy Desert. But since they did say that Steven was one of the four, we figured you had to be there too.

After talking with Phoebe again, we've convinced her that Vincent is good, just a bit spacey when he gets into researching (W: And he is). (V: As much as you are.) Anyhow, she also told us that the Elites and the police are trying to destroy the influence of the CCP, but since they follow a chaotic immortal, they behave chaotically. It's hard to logic an illogical group.

And Vincent has some comments on Flannery's Gym that he wants to pass along. It's a Fire-type, so I'm sure you've noticed what Billina's weak and strong against. You could use Billina, but Fire resists itself, so rely on her other moves. Also, Samba will help. Fire usually is great against Grass and poor against Water; these two negate each other in his kind, so Fire is like any other hit to him.

After that, you've got your father to challenge. He's really tough. I saved him and Wallace for last. But I'm sure you've watched him battle before, so maybe you know what to do better than I.

So, we wish you good luck and hope you're well.

From,  
Wally  
Vincent.'

After Kiri finished reading it aloud, Billina huffed. "He probably had it easy. He could have just had Missingno disguise himself as a Water-type and be done with it."

"So he confirms that Samba should have had no trouble."

"Maybe I'm just a bad Lombre," he moaned.

"You are not," Choora said. "I've seen that you're great in battle. It's just that Flannery and her Slugma are also very strong. And that spell seems to be designed to take out opponents quickly. It is one of the most powerful I've seen."

"But it also has a bad drawback in weakening the user," Billina commented. "I wouldn't want to use it unless I was certain that it was necessary."

"So it's not your fault."

Samba sniffed. "I guess so. I'll try harder, still."

The phone in the room rang. She picked it up. "Hello, this is Kiri Brown."

"Good morning," Nurse Joy said. "Your father is in the lobby, waiting to see you."

"Really? Great! I'll be along in a bit."

"I will inform him."

She put her things away, thought for a bit, then let her Pokemon follow her out to the lobby. Norman was sitting on one of the couches with two Pokemon. A Delcatty was busily cleaning between her paws while Laura waited patiently. Once Kiri entered the lobby, though, the Glaceon pricked her ears up and bounded over to her.

Kiri laughed and patted her on the head. "Hi Laura! Were you worried?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Hey sport," Norman said, "good to see you well."

"Thanks for coming, Dad," she said, hugging him. "I'm fine."

"Are you fine enough for a bit of travel? I've got today and tomorrow off, so I'm going to visit with Rei this evening. You want to come meet him?"

"My godfather? Of course. Is it a long trek?"

He shook his head. "Not compared to getting up to here from Mauville. It'll still take us half the day to get to Fallarbor."

"That's not long," she replied teasingly. "If you can manage it."

He grinned. "Hey, I'm not that old. The terrain's a bit rough, but we can manage. Although, we will be relying on your Guardian to help us get through the Fiery Path. Laura's not too keen on that part."

She tilted her ears back. "And I was just an Eevee when we last went through it. But ugh, that place was so hot that I was certain all my fur would get toasted."

"So it's hot?" Samba asked.

"Really really hot."

"Okay, but let me write Wally and Vincent real quick," Kiri said. "I need to let them know what really happened."

"Sure thing."

* * *

'Hi guys!

I'm fine now. That red-haired cultist from the museum snuck into our camp and stuck a black minus crystal in me. Steven had his Skarmory fly me here to Lavaridge to get it removed. Since it wasn't in me for long, nothing real bad happened. Steven got burned and he said the other two teens were scared, but not badly hurt.

Well thanks for that advice on the Gym, except it wasn't much good. I challenged her yesterday and lost. Watch out, Wally; that Overheat spell is a killer. I can't redo the challenge for a while because of Groudon's ceremony in a week. But hey, I can use that time to train and figure out some way past Overheat. I noticed her power decreasing as she used it, so if Samba can just survive the first round... or maybe I should start with Billina.

Anyhow, I'm going to be with my Dad the next day or two. Any cultist that tries to cross us will be getting into hot water themselves. But you guys be careful now.

Write back soon,  
Kiri'

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Flannery Archer  
Job: Lavaridge Gym Leader/Master Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Strike powerfully  
Hobby: hiking  
Secret: She's rumored to have a crush on Wallace

_Pokemon_

Etna (Skarmory)  
Trainer: Steven  
Nature: Adamant  
Likes: racing  
Dislikes: obstacle courses

Maggie (Slugma)  
Trainer: Flannery  
Team: 1st and 2nd Tiers  
Nature: Rash  
Likes: standing out  
Dislikes: being forgotten

Slugma  
Trainer: Flannery  
Team: 2nd Tier  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: flowers  
Dislikes: accidentally burning flowers

Delcatty  
Trainer: Norman  
Team: 4th and 5th Tiers  
Nature: Impish  
Likes: taking walks  
Dislikes: being indoors

_Places_

Lavaridge: The sacred town of Groudon, Lavaridge is located near the peak of Mount Chimney. It can be reached either through climbing a series of ledges, the Cable Car, or through a network of small footpaths from Fallarbor. There are actually five locations on Mount Chimney for the town to be, depending on the behavior of the volcano. Wherever it's located, it is known for the abundant healing hot springs.

Mount Chimney: A slow erupting volcano, this hotspot has been constantly producing sluggish lava rivers. Residents of northwestern Hoenn have learned to control this flow to a degree and are able to keep the surrounding towns safe, but easily moved. Stone-eating Pokemon thrive here; a local treat known as the Lava Cookie has recently become a well-known and popular product.

_Flannery can be really tough to beat; of course, I usually go with Torchic and she will be easier with a Mudkip starter. I like the design of her Gym._

_Oh man, if this does get redone, I totally need to redo that scene with the Ranger kids and Steven. The fangirl could be hilarious, especially with the talk of Steven's friend Wallace going on. The cult's purpose for attacking her here gets clarified later._

 


	15. Gym Leader Gossip

The cave was hot, glowing red with fire magic. Steam spouts filled the thick hot air with hissing and sputtering. It smelled heavily of burning charcoal and hot ashes. Certainly not a bad smell, but it wasn't a Chikorita's scent either. Kiri carefully steered clear of the creeping Slugmas and a single sleeping Torkoal. The latter had looked like a black rock, but regular puffs of white smoke betrayed it as a Pokemon.

"We used to say that the League must have advised against putting a clear path up to Fallarbor," Norman commented. "Back then, the hardest Gym was there, and since your choices were through the desert, this tunnel, or Meteor Falls, it was an added challenge just to get to it. I thought of putting my Gym up there because of that."

"Why didn't you?"

"Oh, hometown pride, I suppose. I grew up in Petalburg and we never had a Gym back then. And it fits my style."

"Right," she teased, "make your opponent think you're just an average nobody, then surprise them."

"Exactly. Hasn't failed me yet."

Kiri glanced at a Slugma that was watching them, but it didn't seem too interested in bothering them. "It's not that bad in here, for having the name Fiery Path."

"It might be the rain, but it's definitely your Guardian's power rubbing off on you."

"So she's helping me tolerate high temperatures?"

He nodded. "Yup. I wouldn't go testing that right now, as she's second-stage, but it's beginning to affect you. And it'll go both ways. Believe me, this is way too hot for me. Thankfully, the exit's just ahead."

They exited the cave onto another pretty and vibrant meadow path. Berry bushes seemed to be growing everywhere. The trees were lush and vivid greens, not seeming to care that they were just a short ways from a live volcano. Although there was no rain here, clouds covered up most of the sky.

They let their Pokemon go, although when Kiri picked out Choora's ball, she heard, 'Don't bother.'

"If that's what you want," she said quietly. Then she joined her father in going down the new Route. "So what's the deal with Brawly? He asked me about you and Mom, but wouldn't say how he knew you."

"That." He paused in thought, then said, "He dropped by for a visit a few days back with his wife and son. He mentioned about you being in Dewford. From watching you train, he said you fought a little different, but much like me. He was Samantha's first boyfriend."

"Really? But he's from Dewford."

"I know. Bit of a crazy rivalry we had. First I beat Rei out as Hoenn's Magic Champion. Took me three years to get to that point, but then again, I started as an idiot thirteen-year-old fresh from boarding school. Took me a while to figure everything out; that's why I had you wait so you didn't start off as badly as I did. But when I beat Rei, I became friends with him. We had already spoke off and on, so it wasn't a big surprise.

"Shortly after I turned eighteen, Brawly challenged me and won. But he and I did not get along. He pretty much thought I was crazy for using the team I had; then again, he had a type advantage with every single one of his, so I guess he had a point. I wanted to get stronger, so Rei and I went to Kanto. I beat their League Champion, but Rei didn't participate. I think he just wanted to travel. And then Brawly got beat by a girl named Sabrina. She was a psychic prodigy."

"She must have slaughtered his team," Kiri commented.

"That battle didn't last three minutes from what I've heard. Brawly decided to go to Johto and train with a friend of his, Bruno. They met Sam at a party and she and Brawly dated for a year. But about the time that she broke up with him, I had been defeated as Kanto's Magic Champion and had gone to Johto to win my way back up again. Rei had already gone back to Hoenn to work as a Gym Assistant, so I was on my own. And then I ran into Brawly in Johto."

(19 years ago)

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Norman demanded, looking Brawly in the eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but his heart was racing. Laura kept close to his feet, looking calm but undoubtably just as nervous. She was pure Ice type, but he still had a strong influence from her old Normal type. Which meant that Brawly, with his Fire and Fight type Guardian, had double advantages over him.

"She's my girl, so back off," Brawly growled.

"What're you talking about?" he asked, although he had a pretty good idea who he meant.

"Sam's my girlfriend, so..."

"No I'm not," the girl said in a chilly tone. The look in her brown eyes was intimidating, but it was directed at Brawly, not him. Still, Norman's heart was now pounding hard for reasons other than his rival's presence.

"I said I was sorry," Brawly told her, pleading now. "I didn't mean to miss your..."

"I can forgive a few times, but that was once too many. You're always thinking about your karate friends and you keep showing up late. Now, is that your Clefable?" She pointed to a tall pink Pokemon that was happily chewing on a carrot.

"No; why in the world would a guy have a stupid cutesy Clefable?"

Norman felt awkward for a moment, not certain of what to say. Laura butted her head against his leg and gave him a look. Then, doing his best not to stammer, he said, "He's my Clefable. And he's not stupid; he's almost as smart as Laura here."

Like nearly everyone else Norman said this to, Brawly stared at him as if he were an alien for admitting that. The Celfable giggled. "Hehe, silly people."

"He's yours?" Samantha asked, turning to him.

'She has such interesting hair,' Norman thought. At one angle, it looked dark brown, but at another angle, it looked dark violet. "Yeah," he said, not sure if he was going to be embarrassed or proud in the next moment. "He's on my battle team; I hope he's not making trouble."

"No, he's fine. I was just wondering if you could help us out, then. We were hoping for a Contest winning Clefable, but we might be able to work with this one."

"We can help. I'm sure he'll cooperate; right Gerald?"

Gerald the Clefable nodded. "Yup, I like you. What're we doing?"

Samantha giggled and Norman thought he was going to melt right there. "You call your Clefable Gerald?"

He tried to look confident (but it was hard with his emotions running so high). "Well why not? Gerald's a cool name."

"I guess it is. So you're a friend of Brawly's?"

"Uh, not exactly."

"No," Brawly muttered.

"I'm Norman Brown, former Magic Champion of Hoenn and Kanto." He flashed a grin, partly to mock Brawly.

"That's awesome. I'm Samantha, Master Coordinator. Thank you so much for helping us. Come on, I'll take you to our Contest Hall and tell you what we need to do."

"Sure thing," he replied, feeling like he'd do anything to please her.

"Hoo boy, here we go again," Laura said to herself.

Brawly fumed. "I hate both of you!" he shouted, then stormed off.

(Present, mid-July)

Norman crossed his arms over his chest. "Well he was never seen in Johto again; I think he went to Kanto after that. Sam was upset for a while, regretting that she drove him off like that. So we were surprised to have him show up the other day."

"How'd that go?"

"Better than I thought it would. I wouldn't say we're the best of friends, but even being a bit friendly is an improvement." He pointed ahead to a white haze. "Well there would be the famous Ash Valley, where the winds from the volcano go. Not much further to Fallarbor."

Ash Valley was like a snowy field, only it was ash instead of water. It coated the ground in a pale gray and brown blanket. Kiri's wheelchair stirred up clouds of it as she rolled through. More drifted down from the sky, so she had to dust off her lap every so often. There were trees all around, hardy plants that were determined to grow no matter what stood in their way. Every gust of wind could be seen plainly through the swirls of ash swept together or apart.

And everywhere they looked, there were Spinda bears. They were fearless Pokemon, tottering up to them to get a better look. They spun around, walked crookedly, and generally acted weird. According to the Pokedex, not a single one looked alike, because the pink splotches on their white bodies could appear in any fashion. Although amusing to watch, Kiri decided against catching one.

Samba was having a great time rushing through the grass, sending clouds of dust everywhere. Kiri had to pull out a washcloth to put over her nose and mouth, as any time she laughed, the ash would try to go in. Laura and the Delcatty played along too. In contrast, Billina walked along in a stoic manner.

Once they passed out of the ashy route, they were in Fallarbor. It was about the same size as Petalburg, but with a Contest Hall instead of a Gym. There were many gardens, with young versions of the hardy local trees growing. A few small craters from volcanic rocks littered the ground. There was a Coolness Contest going on, so most everyone was there.

However, she saw Brawly over at an outdoor café, along with an unusual man that had to be her godfather Rei. He had dark purple hair with streaks of yellow and gray, down to the middle of his back. He had yellow serpentine eyes with slits instead of round pupils and a forked tongue that he occasionally flicked out. He wore a dark gray chainmail vest, but that's all he could wear. His body below his waist was that of a large snake, nine feet long. Coiling it underneath him to stand up, he kept the end off the ground; this end was double edged with glistening blades that seemed poisonous.

That was definitely her Dad's old friend. "Hi Rei! Hi Brawly."

The half-Seviper man nodded. "Good to see you again. Of course, I haven't seen you since you were a baby."

"Nice to meet you finally." She clasped his hand and got a hug from him.

"Hey, were you setting us up?" Brawly asked.

"Hmm, it could be," Rei said in such a calm voice that everyone laughed. "I know you two would get along better than you think."

They decided to order supper before the Contest ended and the café got busy. "We do have fresh sushi fish in today, Master Rei," the waitress said.

"Thanks, I'll go with that." Once she had left, he flicked his tail blade against another chair. "Fish is the only meat I can get raw these days."

"It's your doctor's orders," Norman reminded him.

"I know, but I have a carnivore's tastes. I should be grateful I've managed to live this long. Then again, the 'heart-friendly' diet he put me on is near torture for me to follow. I don't mind greens, but the lack of raw bloody meat... sorry, I shouldn't be talking like that around omnivores."

Kiri laughed. "It's okay."

There was mostly small talk for a long time; although both her Dad and Brawly had hinted about the past rivalry, they got along well tonight. In fact, later on Brawly said, "You really ought to challenge Wallace to a standard match."

Norman looked puzzled. "Wallace? What for?"

"Because he's a flashy cocky pretty boy?" Rei asked. "Because he keeps getting bold and vain, so somebody needs to cut him down to size?"

Brawly smiled. "Yeah, that's it. He's got dozens of fans, mostly squealing girls... not your sort though, Kiri."

"I'm sure," she replied.

"And they're all convinced that he's the greatest Wizard Hoenn has seen in years," Brawly went on. "He is good, I'll give him that. But they shouldn't be able to call him the greatest until they've seen the both of you battle."

Norman nodded slowly, considering. "But you know, my style of battling isn't well appreciated by most casual League fans. I'm always looking for power in unexpected places, so the Pokemon I use are usually unexpected. If he's as showy as I think he is, being a Coordinator too, my end would come out rather dull to watch."

"But you still have a good shot at beating him. Look, you're one of those odd Leaders in that your Guardian type is not what you run your Gym as. I don't believe he's yet realized that Laura's Ice."

"He has a Kingdra for a Guardian, doesn't he? Water Dragon, hmm..."

"Not a great advantages, but I've heard you've pulled through worse battle typings. You could very well beat him."

"I'd agree," Rei said, putting his hand to his chin. He hissed softly for a second, thinking. "He can be a staller, although not like I am. He tends to waste time in strategies more for show than tactics. Whereas if you're going slow, it's a tactical choice on your part."

Norman shrugged. "It also depends on the Pokemon I have. I'll consider it."

Brawly raised an eyebrow. "You're right; you're not as gung-ho as you used to be."

He smiled slightly. "Things happen. I considered asking them to change the saying on my sign; it's more who I was than who I am. But not enough to make a fuss over a few words."

"Things happen to change you," Rei echoed. "My parents would agree with that."

"Your parents?" Brawly asked. "Aren't you...?"

"My parents are both human," he countered. "As opposed to what rumors say."

"So what happened? If it's appropriate for talking about."

"It's fine. So my parents were crazy in love, like most newlyweds. However, they made the mistake of showing disrespect to Groudon. And, pardon me for doing so, but I'd rather not say what exactly went on, except that it's not as bad as you think."

"Okay," Brawly said slowly, causing the others to laugh.

"But it irritated Groudon enough that he cursed them in punishment. He told them that the child she had would take on the characteristics of the next Pokemon that she saw. Physical, mental, I would be half human and half whatever Pokemon she saw. And I'm sure you know the sort of Pokemon that are around Lavaridge, where they were."

"Some of them would look even stranger combined with a human."

"Right. My father came up with the bright idea of blindfolding my mother until they found a Pokemon that they wouldn't mind as half of their son. It didn't work as well as they hoped. Because it was Groudon that they had annoyed, the residents of Lavaridge were hesitant to help them. This was the nearest town, so they came up here."

"Not a bad idea," Norman said, "since the Contest Hall means all sorts of Pokemon come through here."

"Possibly, but if an immortal curses you, they're not going to let you get a nice loophole. My mother got tired of being blindfolded, so when she was left alone in the hotel here, she took it off. As ill luck would have it, the patio door was open and an injured Seviper had snuck into the room to hide. She screamed when she saw it; it bit her in a similar fright, then escaped. But the venom never touched her. It got absorbed into me, which caused me to be born like this."

"It must have been hard on your family," Brawly said sympathetically.

Rei shrugged. "It doesn't bother me much now. I used to try to act completely human, but then all this tension would build up until I bit someone or smashed something with my tail blades. Once I accepted my Seviper half, it's only bad that it's aging me faster than you. But I'm not sure my parents ever came to terms with it."

"Hey folks," a man called to them. He had a deep bronze tan, suggesting that he spent most of his time outside. And his head was shaved smooth, although a black shadow indicated that he certainly wasn't bald. "What are you three up too?"

"Hey Sydney," Rei said. "We're plotting a grand prank against one of the other Leaders."

Sydney grinned and spoke with a mock tone of disappointment. "But you're not involving me? That is so unfair."

"It's based on Gym Leader gossip, not Elite gossip," Brawly teased. "So we can't involve you."

"What a pity. I'm up for any prank, you know. Just not right now when I'm on business."

"What sort of business?"

"We've got that red-headed cultist Maxie captured and he's made some threat. It might be a bluff, but we want to check out all the Gyms tonight just in case."

"All right," Brawly said as he and Norman got up. "I'll go straight there and check myself." He teleported away with Fly.

"Do you mind watching out for Kiri tonight, Rei?" Norman asked. Then he patted her shoulder. "While the one that attacked you is captured, I still don't want you out alone for now."

"I understand," Kiri replied.

Rei nodded. "It's no trouble. We'll head back to my place in a little bit."

"Thanks. Take care of yourself, sport." Then he and Sydney left.

"My house has come back under the Ash Valley cloud again," Rei said, pointing with his tail back east. "Most of it stays outside, but some of it does get in through cracks and drafts."

"It is nice out there, although I imagine if the ash is falling heavily, the air would be hard to breathe."

"Sometimes. People around here keep a face mask handy all the time in case of that. So how are you doing on your first year of journeying? I understand if you don't want to say much around Norman now, since you'll have to challenge him at some point."

"He knows some of how I'm doing. My team is doing pretty good, although I have to rechallenge Flannery."

"Oh? What happened there?"

She told him about how the battle went. "And my Dad said he won't accept a challenge from me until I have four badges. Since the other three Gyms are on the other side of Hoenn, I pretty much have to defeat her in order to challenge Dad."

"Hmm, yes." He closed his eyes and put his hand on his chin, hissing softly in thought. "I could help, but first, I must know how you battle in person. Tell you what: you go to the Pokemart and pick up some Antidotes: ten should do you. Meet me at the edge of Ash Valley and we'll battle. I'll even fight you in accordance to League rules for a Gym Leader against a Challenger."

"Is it okay for you to be battling?"

"What is the typing of the team you have?"

"It's mixed: Fire-Fight, Water-Grass, and a Psychic."

"Judging by that, I'm probably in no danger of getting too worked up over it. Besides, I haven't had a challenge from anyone this year."

"All right then. We'll battle."

Rei smiled. "Good. I'll see you in half an hour."

* * *

Ashes were still falling gently when Kiri found Rei again. He didn't have any Pokeballs with him. "I'm ready, but where's your team?"

He flicked his tail. "As you can imagine, I had special rules to follow in the League because I am a half-breed. I'm not a Pokemon Wizard, for I have no Guardian. My magic is natural, from my Seviper heritage. As such, I've never had a Pokemon team. As all the Challengers that came before you, you will be fighting me alone." He waved his hand, summoning the shield and orbs. "But do not take me lightly because of this. I'm sure you know that your father was Magic Champion of Hoenn at one point. I was the one who came before him. So, for the sake of your father," he punched one fist into the other, "let's do this."

"This should be interesting," Billina said as she was called out.

"Use physical," Kiri told the Combusken, casting Bulk Up over her.

"Right." She darted over and kicked Rei in the chest. His chainmail vest absorbed some of the blow, while he was busy calling up a gold shield. When she went to kick him a second time, he brought up a silver shield that deflected her blow.

Kiri didn't know much about Poison types, so she cast Water Gun to see if Samba would be of any help. The gold shield caught most of the water balls, and what did hit Rei didn't seem to do much. Billina cast Ember; the gold shield caught most of her fireballs too, but did damage him more than water.

Then Rei waved his blades and sent a stream of toxic material at them both. Billina and Kiri were poisoned badly. Acting quickly, Kiri withdrew two Antidotes and sprayed one over Billina. "Do as you like."

"You'll be fine." While Kiri cured herself, Billina used Blaze Kick. But she couldn't tell how effective it was, because Rei quickly cast Protect to block her move. Rei used Protect again to block her next attack, but wasn't able to guard against Kiri's Confusion spell. Although he still seemed alert, the spell had more effect than anything they had done so far.

"Billina, back. Choora, come." While she swapped Pokemon, she cast Confusion at Rei again. He blocked this, oddly enough by casting Detect, but wasn't able to make an attack while she was switching. "Use your strongest type."

'One of his shields will weaken it,' she pointed out.

'Do it anyhow,' she thought back, hoping it reached the Kadabra.

Choora nodded, then sent a blast of psychic energy at Rei, enough to cause the air to ripple. This hit him hard, and when Kiri followed up with Confusion, his concentrator orb shattered.

Rei held his hand up, dismissing his shields. "Hold. You've won." He closed his eyes and focused his mana. A peach-colored glow surrounded him for a moment. When he opened his eyes, he looked fully alert. "There. Good battle."

"Thanks. But, you've already restored your concentration?"

He slithered over to her. "I'll still need to rest to fully recover. But there's a trick that Gym Leaders use when they have a Mage or Wizard challenger. We are forbidden to use our full mental stamina in such battles."

"Really?"

"Yes. It would be near impossible for a young Mage like yourself to defeat a Master Wizard in top form, so we knowingly handicap our concentrators to League standards. As you have three badges, I locked mine at fifteen percent power. Thus, it matches yours."

"Wow. I hadn't known about that."

He chuckled. "But don't tell the others I told you this. And do not worry; your mental stamina builds with every magic battle you participate in, and in other ways." He hissed as he moved around her, then added, "Well I did not see your Lombre in battle; however, that was a wise move on your part. I would have harmed him badly if you had, as Poison is strong against Plant and his Water half does not prevent that."

"I'll remember that. Knowing your team's types seems to be a make or break factor."

"It is. You can win against a disadvantage of type; I did so against the Psychic Gym, although it was a very tough match for me. But you should be at an advantage with Water skills in a Fire Gym. So the problem is making sure the Lombre can survive a double Overheat attack."

"Yeah. That really lost the battle for me."

Rei smiled. "Well I can no longer teach Gym specific spells. But I will teach you two of the four I used against you. Does that sound like a good deal?"

"Sure, but what were they?"

"Three defending spells. Light Screen protects against magical skills and Reflect protects against physical skills. Both will last for a certain period depending on the skill of the caster, or until a breaking spell is used. Protect guards against an immediate attack; however, it tends to fail if used in succession. And one attacking spell, Toxic. It badly poisons anyone it hits. If you had left it active, it would have done increasing amounts of damage until you both fainted. I also used Detect, but to use that spell in battle requires a lot of skill, and you should know it already."

"I do. How about Light Screen and Protect? Because I'm fairly sure Overheat is a magical skill."

"It is. Okay, here you are." He produced two cards with spell symbols. "Light Screen and Protect. Make certain you practice them before you challenge Flannery again, especially the latter."

"I will. Thanks a lot, Master Rei."

"No problem." He smiled as a friend. "I'll be sure to write your father about this, after you've defeated him yourself."

(22 years ago)

Rei had held onto the title of Hoenn Magic Champion for longer than people expected, six months. He could never bring himself to use Pokemon for battle; it just didn't feel right for him to do so. So to have lost his title, it didn't bother him. He proved his point; he was strong and capable despite his unusual curse.

That, and he liked the kid who replaced him. Norman had guts, using generally ignored Pokemon and turning them into surprise power players. But something about his final team puzzled Rei. For that reason, he had not yet left Ever Grande City. Rei knocked on the Champion's house.

Norman answered. "Oh hey. Did you forget something?"

"I don't believe so," Rei said. "I just wanted to ask you some things, if that's okay with you."

"Sure, come on in." He waited until Rei's tail was fully in the house, then shut the door. "What do you want to know?"

"First off, why are you using so many Normals? I respect those that you have, but there are many more powerful Pokemon out there."

"I just like them." Then he shrugged. "I guess it's also because people see me as just another average kid, nothing special. I got teased quite a bit back in boarding school because I wasn't excelling at any particular thing. But just because you're starting out average doesn't mean that you can't make yourself great. And that's exactly what I did."

"You did that well." Then he smirked. "And that Facade spell you found is a killer."

He grinned. "Glad you like it. I spent hours in the school library tracking down that symbol. Lots of books referenced it, but I only found one with the actual spell."

"And yet despite your passion for the Normal Pokemon, I noticed that you didn't use the one people consider the strongest in Hoenn."

"Oh, the Zangoose. Well I had one for a while," he glanced at Rei, then went on. "And while he was good, I admit that, you've helped me out several times now. So I didn't want to be using a Pokemon that could offend you."

Rei hissed without thinking, then shook his head. "It wouldn't so much offend me as send me into a blind rage. Still, thank you for being considerate."

Norman patted his arm. "Hey, no problem buddy."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Rei Ashen  
Job: retired  
Battle strategy: Outlast your opponent  
Hobby: gardening  
Secret: Although he's only 42, he appears to be a 60 year old human.

Sydney Kidd  
Job: Elite 4 member/Master Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Exploit the opponent's weaknesses  
Hobby: playing guitar in his band  
Secret: He can't decide if he wants to be known as the greatest Elite rocker or the greatest Elite prankster.

_Places_

Fallarbor: Being north of Mount Chimney, Fallarbor can be a tough place to live. But the volcanic soil makes it perfect for the main local industry: the Fallarbor Tree Farm and Mill. Following the paths of cooled lava flows, the Tree Farm grows many kinds of trees, both fast-growers and hardier types. About half get shipped out to replenish forests in multiple regions, while some of the rest go into the lumber and paper mills. Fallarbor is currently hosting one of the Contest Halls, although talks of putting up a permanent Frontier Base have been going on.

_Organizations_

Battle Frontier/Tower: The Pokemon League is excellent for young Trainers, as the Gym Leaders focus more on teaching various aspects of raising, training, and battling Pokemon than on the battles themselves. But once a Trainer has reached a level where League battles are too easy, the Battle Frontiers and Towers step in for a true challenge. The Frontier competitors are focused entirely on battling, so this is the level where Masters are made. Since signing up for the Frontier requires at least six badges, only serious competitors are in a position to consider it.

_Author's Note_

Norman's Johto Team: While the sub-plot about the Norman-Brawly rivalry was fun to plan, only these two flashbacks were relevant to the story. And even then, it's more for adding depth to characters than anything. So you wanna know what Pokemon besides Gerald the Clefable Norman was using in those days? They were: two Slakings, a Blissey, a Snorlax, and a Swellow.

But with Laura, that means he had seven Pokemon with him, right? If you haven't noticed by these entries yet, that's not unusual for a Wizard. So long as one, usually the Guardian, is inactive for battles, holding seven Pokemon does not break League rules.

_Most of the time when I see drawings of gijinkas, they tend to be cute, pretty, or dark ones. Rei might fall into the last category, but not by a lot. He's still a character that I'd like to do more with._


	16. Summoning Groudon

When Kiri got back to Lavaridge, it was still rainy. Despite that, she wanted to train her team and work on those two shielding spells. The town was quiet, but not wanting to take chances, Kiri asked others staying in the Pokecenter to go train with her. Billina was not happy about the rain, especially when Samba adored rushing and splashing through the mud puddles. But they all put up with it.

One morning that wasn't rainy, Kiri decided to take a break and look around town. The Lavaridge hot springs sounded interesting, but she hadn't owned a swimsuit in years. Most of the pools were neck deep, which was too deep for her. Instead, she went to the volcanic sand bed and lay down there. "This is comfy,"she told her Pokemon, "but it's going to be tricky to get back up. I usually had one of my dad's Pokemon around to help me up."

"I'll try to get you back up," Billina said.

Choora looked at Samba. "I thought you didn't like sand."

"This sand is warm and moist," he replied. "I guess it's not that bad." He snuggled down in the sand and took a nap.

"We'll be thinking of challenging my Dad soon," Kiri continued. "But he's going to be really tough. Since I'll have half of the League badges, he can use one of his better teams. And I've watched him battle so many times. I think we should spend some time training after Flannery. And we need more team members. I'm not sure which Pokemon to get, though."

'You could use someone capable of producing lightning bolts,' Choora mused over her cards. She showed the Electric one she had pulled.

"That's a good point. Lightning. There's many powers out there. Maybe we should return to Rustboro for some research. My summer vacation's more than half over as it is, so if I plan to defeat him before school starts..." a rumble of thunder interrupted her thoughts. "Oh, probably can't stay out long... hmm?"

She glanced over to where she had seen movement. The air was hazy with white mist produced from the heat of the volcano. Through that, she could see a shadow of a person walking. Kiri felt a flutter of nervousness. Could it be one of the cultists? They had already attacked her, but if they really wanted her dead...

No. The woman had a definite fire aura to her and the way she looked was familiar. "Hi Flannery!" she called out.

She seemed startled. "Um, hello?" She came closer, then smiled when she caught sight of them. "Oh, it's Kiri, right? You had me for a moment."

"Sorry."

"It's fine." Flannery sat by them. Her Guardian, a Typhlosion, came up and nodded to Billina, who bowed back. "What are you doing out here?"

"I figured I might as well be outside for a bit while it's not raining." Thunder rumbled overhead again. "Although it doesn't seem likely to stay dry for long."

"I know. I heard about Dewford being extremely sunny, but didn't expect our weather to turn in the same fashion. It's terrible."

"Normally I don't mind rain, but it's been depressing around here."

She put her head on her knees. "It's because this rain was brought in with a malicious intent. If the CCP cult is behind it, they're seeking to anger the immortals who protect this land. They're crazy for wanting that, but you never know with some people."

"It should clear up once you call on Groudon's power. That's what happened in Dewford."

"That's true." She closed her eyes for a minute, then looked at Kiri. "You don't seem too bothered to be talking to me when I defeated you."

She shrugged. "Eh, wins and losses come and go, like you said. Besides, I think I can beat you next time."

Flannery smiled. "You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure."

"Excuse me, Miss Flannery?"

"Hmm?" She looked up to see an old woman stop by them. She wore a long flowery dress and a large floppy hat. Hanging off her arm was a straw basket. "Oh, hello Irene. How are you doing?"

"I'm well enough, thanks. I do have a question for you, if you don't mind."

She nodded. "What is it?"

"I have an egg from the Daycare Center that I've been holding onto for some time. I thought I could leave it in the sand to remain warm and it would hatch. But so far, it hasn't moved."

Kiri propped herself up the best she could on her elbows so she could look at the egg too. It was about the size of a grapefruit, oval shaped with green splotches on white. Flannery put her hand on it. "Hmm... the baby inside is healthy."

"Oh good."

"But you don't have any Pokemon of your own, right? They won't hatch unless they come in contact with the aura of other healthy Pokemon. It's a survival mechanism for hatchlings in the wild."

"Could you take care of it? It was given to me, but I don't have the means to take care of a Pokemon this young."

She seemed to consider it. "Do you know what kind of Pokemon it is?"

Irene shook her head. "No. The breeders weren't quite sure when they found it."

"Well I can't get a good reading on it." Flannery tried again, but didn't find anything more distinct. "I have to stick with certain Pokemon in accordance to Gym rules, so I can't really take it. Would you be able to care for it, Kiri?"

"I could," she said. "I was thinking of how to build my team anyhow. I could work with one I'm not sure of."

"So would you take it?" the old woman asked.

"Sure, I'll take good care of it."

"Thank you, lass." She took the egg out of the basket and put it in the sand by Kiri. "I hope this little one helps you. And here, the Daycare also gave me this special Pokeball. It's already linked to the child."

She took the Pokeball. It was different, being pastel pink on top and pastel blue on the bottom. "That's nifty. Thank you very much."

"I would guess it needs two or three weeks yet to hatch," Flannery said. "But every egg is different. Some kinds take a long time to hatch."

Choora teleported next to the egg, gently touching it. 'This child will help us,' she told Kiri.

"Can you tell what it is?"

She shook her head. 'No, but I feel it will help.'

"Good." Thunder cracked through the air. "I think we'll want to get back inside now."

Flannery nodded. "Right. Here, I'll help you up."

Once she was back in her wheelchair, she got Samba awake. Not long after, the clouds started pouring again.

* * *

They were all on their own now.

At least, soon to all be on their own. Wally left his Aunt and Uncle's house to find them standing by a Tropius, talking. The Tropius was fanning her leafy wings out to catch the clear sunlight best. A fruity scent hit his nose; Jane's fruit should be ready to pluck once she allowed it. Vincent had left the day before, to continue getting badges and finding a way to redeem Missingno. Now it was Wally's turn.

He went over and hugged his Uncle. "Thanks guys for helping me with this."

Robert patted his head. "Glad to help, kid. It's good to see you out on your own."

Betty laughed lightly. "We'll be sure to convince my sister that it's a good thing. At least, once she asks where you are."

Wally smiled bashfully. "That won't take long. Goodbye Uncle Robert."

"Bye Wally, and good luck to you."

Wally and his Aunt then got on the Tropius. Betty flew them out to the Pokemon Ranch by Fortree. There was another round of hugs and goodbyes. Jane gave him a few fruits to start his true journey with. Then they flew away and Wally was completely on his own.

At least, on his own with his Pokemon. He called out Amigo. "I hope we're ready to begin."

"I'm ready," the Kirlia replied.

"Well, let's go in." He entered the Ranch house.

It had an earthy feel to it, with the reddish-brown sandstone floors and orange walls. There was a green-haired woman at the front desk; she was watching a nervous Skitty. "Hello, young man," she said. "Welcome to the Fortree Pokemon Ranch. How may I help you?"

"H-hi, I'm Wally Chesterfield. I've applied to be a caretaker here."

"Oh yes, Wally, I remember. Let me see." She shuffled some papers before drawing out a file with his application. "Looks like everything's checked out so far. Now we need to see how you handle one of our Pokemon for a few months. My name is Sarah; come with me." She picked up the Skitty and walked down the hall.

Wally and Amigo followed her. "So it is fine if I continue the League Challenge with the Ranch Pokemon?"

Sarah nodded. "As long as the Pokemon is able to battle and is not afraid, it's fine. I can even give you two that are suitable if that is what you intend to do."

"Yeah, because I can learn healing spells from the elves if I earn enough badges."

"Those spells are immensely helpful around here. Let's see. Pumpkin, stay here." She put the Skitty on a shelf.

Pumpkin curled her tail up close and nervously twitched her ears. "Bu-but what about spooks?"

"It's safe in here," Wally said. As Sarah looked over a clipboard, he held his hand out to the Skitty. Pumpkin sniffed him. Once she seemed comfortable with that, he scratched between her ears, making her purr.

In bins along the wall of this storage room were dozens of Pokeballs. The Pokemon were allowed to roam free, but were kept attached as it was easiest to keep an eye on their conditions that way. "542839... this is a Swablu that's badly afraid of the dark." Sarah handed him a black and green Ultra Ball.

He looked at the status screen. "That's why his past owner got rid of him, huh?"

"Unfortunately. Besides that, he checks out fine for battling. Except at night, of course."

"Right, I'll have to earn his trust enough to do that."

"And... hmm... how about 302189? This is a Magneton, so you can't bring it within city limits of anywhere in Hoenn. We get quite a few of these because of that. According to our records, this one was on a battling team, but then the Trainer got a new job and retired his team. The Magneton itself is not that old and seems to like the battle circuit."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll take good care of them."

Actually, that was really good. Since he was outside of Fortree, he could use the Magneton to defeat Winona's Gym and earn the spell Fly for the Swablu. That would allow him to go anywhere in Hoenn and defeat the Gyms in a manner that suited him.

* * *

Dewford's ceremony had been a number of residents and a handful of visitors. Lavaridge's ceremony was made up of a handful of residents and a number of visitors. As many of the town's population were elderly, most did not participate in the climb to the summit of Mt. Chimney. But as the rain had only grown harder, the other Gym Leaders, Steven, and the Elite 4 all gathered to support Flannery. She wore brilliant red robes with gold Unown text; the outfit made her look prettier than before.

"Nice to see you here, sport," Norman said as he put his hand on Kiri's wheelchair.

Kiri grinned and patted his hand. "Hi Dad! Good to see you."

"You too. Hey, is that what I think it is?" he asked playfully, tapping the pastel colored Pokeball. "Those balls are only available to breeders."

"An old lady here gave me an egg. Choora can't tell what it is, but I feel it growing stronger."

"Eggs are always a fun surprise. That's one of the things you have to do to become an Elite 4. They give you an egg that no one knows what is inside. You must raise the child that is born and make it part of your battle team when you challenge the others for your position. And that's only part of a long list of requirements to prove your worth."

"Did you look into that?"

"I thought about it for a bit. But I think I'll stick to being a Gym Leader for a while." He paused. "Does it seem cold to you?"

"Yeah, it does."

Right then, a flurry of snow and hail dropped over the procession. Several Guardians squealed in alarm. Norman quickly said, "Laura, where is the source of the ice?"

As a Glaceon, Laura pinpointed a tall rock. When a lightning bolt struck the volcano's rim, they could see the blue haired man that had tried to disrupt the Dewford ceremony as well. His Castform was with him, this time pale blue with a snowy swirl atop its head. Upon realizing who was in the crowd this time, the cultist cast a protective spell. As his mask flashed a Psychic symbol, Light Screen came over the both of them.

"Let's break that fool shield," Brawly called.

"Right away," his Infernape responded. He leapt up at the shield and smashed his fists into it. Brawly followed up with a spell that mimicked the action. Someone else, probably one of the Elite 4, also used the shield breaking spell. It could not withstand three such attacks.

Before anyone else could attack the pair, the Castform went berserk. It blasted everyone with strong winds, knocking the cultist off his perch. Then it followed up with wild bursts of lightning. It could kill people if it wasn't calmed down.

Kiri's mind jumped back to the Pretty Petal Flower Shop girls. They said that Shaymin spread peace and flowers throughout the world. It was a long shot, but just maybe... Kiri cast Sweet Scent on the Castform.

It halted its attack immediately. "Flowers," it said hazily. "I miss flowers." The hail and snow stopped falling.

"You crazy Pokemon!" the blue-haired cultist yelled. "That's the last time you make a fool of us!" He took the Castform's Pokeball and threw it into the lava pool.

But it never made it. A young pair of twins were in the procession. The boy stretched his hand out and telekinetically grabbed the ball before it hit the lava. His sister shook her head. "You should never kill a Pokemon, even one so unfortunately cursed."

"I've done my duty," he said quietly.

Sydney and another man, who Kiri thought she recognized as the lead Elite Drake, went over and grabbed him by the arms. "Whatever," Sydney said. "We aren't letting you slip away this time." They teleported him away.

The Nurse Joy with them went to Flannery and her Guardian, making sure they were still in good condition to perform the ceremony. The twins looked at each other, then came to Kiri. "Here," the boy said, holding out the Pokeball. "You were the one to calm it down, so you should be the one to take care of it."

Kiri took it gingerly. "But it's a dangerous little Pokemon. What do I do about its curse?"

"Shadow Pokemon have had their hearts closed by cruel methods," the girl said.

"Thus they need loving care and patience to restore their hearts to them," the boy added.

"They are not themselves. When it is ready, pray to Celebii to break the curse."

"Treat it as you do your other Pokemon and that should heal its soul."

After the bit of twin-speak, Kiri nodded. "Okay. I'll take good care of it."

"Good," the boy said. "I hope to see you in our Gym someday soon."

The procession moved on, so the psychic twins went to talk to someone else. Kiri looked up at Norman. "Their Gym?"

"Those are the twins who run the Psychic Gym," he confirmed. "It has special rules for who is its leader. And don't underestimate them due to their being cute. They're a potent pair that can easily take their opponents by surprise."

"I see."

Flannery looked calm, even though she probably wasn't feeling it, when they arrived at the summit. Like at Dewford, the Lavaridge shrine was under an archway on a path of rocks over the lava pool. This archway had a depiction of Groudon on it. The Leader put the Ruby on the pillar. The same size as the Sapphire, it glowed pinkish-red.

Flannery and her Typlosion joined hands, then got ready. "Master of the lands," Flannery called out, "please hear our prayers. We of Lavaridge are under the protection of your earth from birth to death. We give you our prayers and praise in hopes you respond with your blessings. In the name of Arceus, please continue to acknowledge the bond between our village and yourself."

The Ruby lifted up and glowed brighter. Again there was a long wait. And again, the Ruby's light enveloped Flannery and took control of her briefly. "The devil grows swiftly, causing restlessness in all who sleep," she, or rather, Groudon said. "Now there are roots that must be killed before it can be put back to sleep itself." Then the ancient one let her go.

This time, both Flannery and her Guardian were knocked unconscious. Thankfully, there was a Charizard in the group that was able to fly both back to Lavaridge immediately.

Norman gripped his daughter's shoulder. "I must go with the other Leaders to discuss this turn of events," he said. "We'll have to hold off on any more talk until later."

"I understand. I see you in a while."

He nodded. "Good luck with that Shadow."

* * *

As he wasn't the one to originally catch them, Wally couldn't rename his new Pokemon by altering the Pokeball's information. His Magneton had a name, Bit; it crackled quietly, watching him. His Swablu didn't have a name. He was busily preening his cloud-like wings.

Wally let the bird be for a moment. "Good work, Bit," he told the Magneton. "You did well against Winona."

Bit narrowed its eye. "Of course I did, twit. So what'd you call me out for?"

Amigo put a hand to his cheek. 'Um, it's a bit surly. It wants to know why you called for it.'

"I just want to get to know you two," he replied. "What you like to eat, stuff you like to do, things like that."

"What good is that going to do you?" It gave off a spark from its support units. "I came along just to fight, not to make friends. And if you're not calling me out for battle, you'd best just not bother." It recalled itself.

"A bit surly?" Wally asked Amigo.

'Definitely uncooperative.'

"He could be, you know, not so rude," Swablu added.

"Anyhow, Swablu."

He perked his head up. "Yes?"

"I got a Hidden Manual from Winona that I want to teach you." He pulled out a sky blue booklet that had an aura of Flight magic. "It's Fly. I also got Aerial Ace; we'll see about if we want you to have it."

"I've never had a Manual given to me before."

'I'm not sure he knows how to use it,' Amigo translated.

"I'm not entirely sure myself. Let's see." He opened the booklet up. "It's got two symbols and a lot of Unown text. I can't read that though." Wally sat down by Swablu and held the booklet open for him. "Can you make sense of it?"

"Maybe. Give me some time." Tilting his head, the bird studied the symbols and Unown text. Then the booklet gave off a shimmer of aura as Swablu chirped and fluffed his wings up. "Okay, I think I got it!"

Wally patted him on the head. "Good going. Do you want to test it out?"

"Oh, um, but teleporting? I've never flown in this way before." Swablu fluttered up. "Will it work? Will it be dark?" He shivered in mid-flight.

"We will be with you," Amigo said soothingly. "Those like you and those unlike you do this many times and are unhurt."

"Okay, okay." He took a deep breath, then landed on Wally's head. "Okay, where do we go?"

'He's ready to try,' Amigo translated.

"Alright," Wally said. "Do you know Lilycove?"

"Lilycove? Yes, yes, I can get there. Okay, this is a new way to fly." Swablu closed his eyes and concentrated on the spell.

Wally's vision shuddered for a moment, dissolving the pastoral Fortree into a blurry mess. But as his eyes corrected themselves, it was the brilliant Lilycove that focused itself. They were in front of the Pokecenter. "You did it, Swablu! Good work."

"I did?" He opened his eyes, then chirruped loudly and flew in a circle. "I did, I did! Wow."

"There was nothing you feared," Amigo told him. "I saw no darkness."

The teen laughed and got up. "Okay, calm down. I'm taking you to the Department Store. We need to challenge Wattson again, but I think we need an extra edge."

"I will be trying hard," Swablu said. He spread his fluffy wings proudly. "This makes me a great Pokemon, right?"

"You're getting closer," Amigo told him.

In the large store, they went up to the third floor. It was obviously the area for Trainers. The notice board was full of League and Frontier information. There were posters for all of the Gym Leaders and the Elite 4 on the walls, presumably available for sale. There were several sale stations, one labeled 'Technical Manuals'.

Swablu landed on his head again. "Oo, so many people."

"Do you want to go back for now?" Wally asked quietly.

The bird nodded. "Yes, please."

"Sure thing." He pressed the button on Swablu's Pokeball. "Come on, Amigo."

He took Wally's hand. 'I'm right here.' They went to the TM counter.

"Good afternoon," the clerk said. "May I help you?"

"Um, sure." He picked up Amigo, who was on his tiptoes trying to look in the glass case. "I'd like to know what you have available and the prices."

"Sure thing. We try to have certain manuals always in stock, but they do take some work to make. Here's my list of what we currently have." He handed over a peach-colored sheet of paper. A red pen had been used to mark out some items or adjust stock numbers.

Wally looked over the prices. The lowest he saw was 1900 dollars. The highest was 5500. "That's more than I thought," he said quietly. "We might only be able to manage two now."

'So our goal is to defeat Wattson with who we have,' Amigo mused.

"But also be useful for other battles."

'I think I can tell what the others can use.' He stared at the piece of paper.

Wally adjusted his Pokemon so that he was more secure. Feeling a little sheepish, he glanced at the clerk. He was now talking to another customer. And no one around seemed to think he was doing anything odd. So he waited for Amigo to finish his study.

Then Amigo scratched his nose. 'Um, this doesn't look good.'

"What is it?"

'You remember how Vincent told us that to beat that Magneton, the most effective types are Ground, Fight, and Fire?' He shook his head. 'I don't think any of the three of us can learn those kinds of skills.'

"That's not good. He'll already have an advantage over Swablu and he probably knows more about what Bit can do than I do. Still, we shouldn't put it off too long, or we'll have to face an even stronger Electric team."

'That's true.'

"Something interest you?" the clerk asked, now done with the other customer.

"I'm afraid not," Wally said. "I'm kinda stuck on Wattson right now, so it looks like I'll have to be finding another Pokemon to beat him."

"Hmm, well, you might not be out of luck yet. Hang on." He checked with a schedule on his clipboard. "Yeah, it'll cost you about 2500, but if you go up to the rooftop, there's a Tutor offering to teach unusual skills. The Tutor will tell you beforehand if there is something that might get you past that Gym."

"I see. Thank you." He put Amigo down. "Let's go check that out."

They took the elevator to the roof of the Department store. Amid planters of pretty plants, there was an open space for various functions. A blond haired woman who was obviously champion of karate was kneeling in mediation. She gave Wally an appraising look as he came up. "Good day, Trainer."

He nodded respectfully. "Good day, m'am. Are you the Tutor?"

"Yes." She then checked out Amigo, who got nervous and moved closer to Wally's leg. "What are you interested in teaching your team?"

"I wanted to see what they could learn; we're looking to pass Wattson's Gym, so..."

"Which tier?" she asked abruptly.

"Um, it'll be my fourth, so second."

"Who else is on your team?"

"A Swablu and a Magneton. But I got them both from the Ranch; Swablu listens, but the Magneton likes to twist orders." He recalled how he had ordered Bit to do Thundershock only to have it cast Thunder instead. And it had missed the Swellow entirely with that spell.

"You catch that one on your own?"

"Yes."

She stood up and cracked her knuckles. "I could teach him Fire Punch."

'But I don't use either Fire or Fight magic,' Amigo pointed out.

"Don't worry. It's a flexible skill, or spell depending on how you understand it."

'Spell?'

She nodded. "It can be either a physical or magical skill. In your case, I'm sure it'll be magical."

'Is that okay?' he asked Wally.

He could tell by the look in his eyes that the Kirlia wanted to learn this. "Sure. Do you mind me paying through debit?"

"That's fine." She took his Trainer ID card for the transfer, then beckoned Amigo onto the mat. She brought out a card with the symbol for Fire Punch. "Now I can show you this, but as it is different from what you would normally learn, we have to work on it."

'Okay.' He studied the card for a minute, then nodded.

"This is a fusion of two actions, the fire spell and the punch. Both actions must be linked, for we can have this," she waved her hand and caused a flash of fire to appear, "and this," she then punched through the fading flame, causing it to flutter out in a wave, "but it is not Fire Punch until they're linked, like this," she then punched the air in front of her with flames flaring off her knuckles.

'I see.' He made an attempt at casting the spell. After a second, there was a definite flash of fire, but his punch came late and wasn't that impressive.

"Whether it's magical or physical depends on which part you emphasize. But they must be linked."

'Linked, yes.'

"Focus on it," Wally encouraged. "I'm sure you can do this."

Amigo nodded, then tried again... and several times more. It took a good ten minutes, but then he jumped up and got the stronger fire part to link with the punch and nailed Fire Punch.

"There you go," the Tutor said. "you should be able to manage it any time you wish now."

'Alright!' Amigo gave a quick happy twirl.

"Great," Wally said. "I'm sure with that, we can manage something."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Pokemon

Ellie (Typhlosion/Guardian)  
Trainer: Flannery  
Team: Inactive  
Nature: Hardy  
Likes: Lava Cookies  
Dislikes: getting sticky stuff on her paws

Bit (Magneton)  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Lonely  
Likes: battles  
Dislikes: socializing

Swablu  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Bashful  
Likes: berries  
Dislikes: darkness

Castform  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Shadow/Unknown  
Likes: ?  
Dislikes: ?

_Legends_

Groudon: The shaper of the land and protector of Lavaridge, Groudon is one of the three legendary guardians of Hoenn. He is a tough legend to deal with; he demands proper respect be shown to all of the immortals. While he is good-natured and kind when respect is shown, disrespect can get him in quite a temper. His favorite saying is, "Let your loyalty and faith be as strong as bedrock."

_Spells_

Teleport and Fly: Those who do not study magic often get these two mixed up, as they serve a similar purpose. Both are designed to get the caster and anyone in contact with him/her/it to another location instantaneously. But there are significant differences. Teleport only works up to two miles away, based on the mastery of Psychic magic. Fly works between three miles and five hundred miles, based on the mastery of Flight magic. Most users of either spell can only move to familiar or easily recognized landmarks, which is why novices often target Pokecenters as their end point.

Fly also has a second use, but only to Pokemon with a Flight type. They can use the spell to enhance their flying powers to carry another, so that they will not tire as quickly. This use can even be used by the smallest of fliers; granted, lightweights like Jumpluff and Wingull will only be able to carry an average adult human for a few yards, so this use is generally seen with stronger and larger fliers like Skarmory and Salamence.

_Author's Note_

Egg: It's not a Wynaut egg. Why not Wynaut? Why not?

Heh, kidding, I do have a good reason for it being something other than Wynaut. I just couldn't resist the pun.

_PUNS! hehe, love them. Even the awful ones._


	17. Pen Pals

(07/29, letter from Wally to Kiri)

The Mossdeep twins gave you the Shadow Castform? Wow, that's got to be a huge responsibility. But you should be able to handle it; they wouldn't have given it to you if you couldn't.

As for who they are, it's an old story around Hoenn, but I guess you wouldn't have heard it in Johto. They're actually over nine hundred years old; I'm not sure exactly how old. Tate and Liza are the sixteenth incarnations of the original founders of Mossdeep, Julius and Jolene Mossdeep. They remember nearly everything that's happened over their past lives, which is why they're the most respected Gym Leaders in all of Hoenn.

Julius and Jolene were twin sages of about thousand years ago, when two rival kingdoms were at war. The castles were situated about where Lilycove and Rustboro are today. The Mossdeep twins became renown for their wisdom and grace, not to mention their prestigious Psychic powers. They even had twin Guardians, two identical Espeons. These four attempted to end the war between the two kingdoms, warning them that they would both come to ruin if the fighting went on. The two kings ignored the sages, eventually going so far as ordering them killed.

At that time, Julius, Jolene, and their followers left mainland Hoenn. There's a neat story behind this, but it's kinda long to tell in a letter. After they passed through a terrible storm, they wound up on a large island to the east of Lilycove. They spent the rest of their lives there, founding the city of Mossdeep. Then one day, Julius was struck by an arrow and killed.

The thing is, Jolene was so close to her brother that their magic became as intertwined as that of a Wizard and Guardian. So when Julius died, Jolene and their two Espeons died by the end of the day. But Mossdeep was in trouble, under attack from one of the two kingdoms. Jolene told the other residents to have faith and continue to defend the ideas they had taught.

Without its founders, Mossdeep was captured a few weeks later. Then, seven years later, a strange thing occurred. Two Eevee Guardians appeared at a sacred rock on Mossdeep Island. The two Eevees went straight to a house on the highest point of Mossdeep and bonded with a pair of twins who had been born there; the twins were only five years old. But then it was revealed and proved that these two were actually Julius and Jolene. They had somehow formed a pact with Giratina to continually reincarnate in Hoenn as long as they served and protected our land. And that's how it's been ever since. If one of the four dies, the other three die as well. But they come back to life, and when the twins are five years old, the twin Eevees appear at the sacred rock and seek out their partners.

So yeah, with Psychic powers honed over seventeen lifetimes and all the knowledge and wisdom they have, if they think you're best to help that poor Shadow, then they're probably right.

Next time you're in a Pokecenter, check in with Nurse Joy, because I'm sending you a book I borrowed from the Ranch. It's about the Shadow curse and how to deal with Pokemon affected by it. It turns out that Shadows are even more sensitive to their Trainer's emotions than any other Pokemon, despite the fact that they have been limited to negative emotions themselves. If you're very positive around them, it will neutralize the evil aura around them, weakening the curse. But if you're negative around them, or just don't care, it will feed into that aura and keep them cursed. With as cheerful and determined as you can be, though, I'm sure that won't be a problem.

There's a lot of ways in that book about how to further weaken the curse. It various from Pokemon to Pokemon; you calmed it down with Sweet Scent, so you might want to use it at least once a day on Castform. They can also be helped by letting them burn out their aggressions in battle, but my mentor Sarah says to avoid using that method unless there's no other way to help. The curse will strengthen in battles with some Pokemon.

Also, this is kinda scary: the book says that while the actual means of closing a heart are unknown to most, it's most likely that the Pokemon are tortured until they agree to have Lokire put the curse on them.

* * *

Once Flannery opened her Gym back up to all challengers, Kiri went in. "I'm ready to try again."

"Good. I've known some challengers to give up after their first loss. But how will you be after a second loss?" Her question wasn't as threatening as she probably wanted it to be. She put her hand over her face. "Well I don't mean... oh, let's just begin already." She brought out the shield and orbs, then her first Slugma.

"Go Samba." When he came out, she added, "Don't lose faith," and cast Light Screen over him.

"Okay, I'll do it right this time," he responded in determination. He braced himself.

"With me; Overheat!" Flannery started off the same again, but this time, Light Screen absorbed half of the spells and Samba survived what was left.

Kiri had Heal ready while the air was still glowing from the heat. "Now strike!"

"You're gonna be all wet!" He cast Water Gun while she took care of his damage.

"Keep at it; I've got you."

Water Gun wasn't powerful enough to take the Slugmas down in one shot, but two, that could be done. Kiri kept Light Screen over him and used Protect when both Flannery and her Pokemon were going to attack. It would catch one, making the other less damaging. With that strategy, they got through the two Slugmas.

The third Pokemon she had was a Torkoal. "Use Smokescreen,"she told him while she cast Flamethrower.

Kiri used Protect against the Flamethrower, but then the small black Pokemon sent a cloud of smoke around himself and Flannery. "Okay, with me," Kiri told Samba.

"So long as you mean Water Gun," he replied, then cast that at the same time she did. A lot of the attack missed due to the Haze, but some struck. The Light Screen was holding well, so they continued with the Water Gun strategy until the Torkoal fainted.

"You are your father's daughter," Flannery said. "That was a thrilling battle."

"It was. Good work Samba." She patted the Lombre's lilypad.

"I did good!"

"So, here is your Flame Badge." She surrounded Kiri's card in a red light. "This will allow you to remain surefooted on unsteady and slippery surfaces, like ice and sand."

"Even with my wheelchair?"

"Well... I'm not sure, but I think so. I know it allows people who need canes to use them in sand, so I would assume your wheelchair is good."

"Excellent! You have no idea how hard it is to move across a slippery sidewalk and come to a safe stop."

She laughed. "Good to know it will be of better use to you, then. It will also let you use Strength. See that column over there?" She pointed to a gray pillar like the ones in the entrance room. "The symbol for Strength is on there. You can try pushing that back."

"Okay. Do I have to be in contact with it?"

"You need to be close, within a few feet. How far away depends on the experience of the caster; the more you use Strength, the farther its range."

She nodded, then rolled her wheelchair to the pillar. The Strength symbol was a blocky arrow pointing right. When she mimicked pushing something with both of her hands flat, the pillar moved backwards.

"The second spell I'll teach you is Overheat." She slide a panel on the pillar to reveal a circle with a flame roaring off the top. "It's a powerful attack, but it will temporarily lower your mana. Save it for when you want to end a battle quickly."

"Sounds good." Once she successfully cast Overheat, she added, "You know, you don't have to be exactly like your grandfather was. You can just be yourself."

Flannery laughed nervously. "I suppose so. This past year has been a little crazy, what with me taking over the Gym and the ceremonies, and all sorts of things. I have been quite flustered from time to time. Maybe I should just relax."

"I know how it is, with my Dad having such a reputation for being powerful. But I will fight my way and he will his."

"Right." She closed her eyes in thought. "One should never stop learning, especially about one's self. That will always be true."

* * *

(08/03, letter from Steven to Wally)

Good to know that you two are doing well. I've been busy myself. The Ever Grande stadium might only be open on weekends, but as Magic Champion, I have a lot of duties to attend to. Drake has had me helping on the investigation of CCP. Real simple stuff, actually: paperwork, scheduling, and the occasional acting as a guard for investigators and witnesses. And there's some events that I have to show up for. That side is mostly ceremonial, and it can get a bit boring.

One thing that isn't ceremonial is when Wallace asked me to explore the Cave of Origins with him. That cave is in Sootopolis, but there are heavy restrictions on who can or cannot enter. I do have an edge in getting in though. Wallace is an old friend of mine. Before he became Gym Leader and I became a Mage, he taught me a lot about Pokemon and strategy. We don't always agree and I'm not as interested in Contests as he is, but a lot of my skill comes thanks to him.

I wish we could say what's been going on with the Cave of Origins. Rumor has it that either Groudon or Kyogre's physical body is sealed deep within, but we couldn't make it that far. The aura of that place has been fluctuating wildly.

And my father has been talking to me about researching evolution stones and Pokeballs. The Devon researchers have some ideas about increasing the effectiveness of Pokeballs under certain situations. Oh, and that weird Pokeball that Kiri's Castform came in? It's called a Master Ball and it's a cruel device. It captures any Pokemon without fail. That's just not right; Pokemon should always have the option of denying a capture and remaining free. I agree with the three ball rule of thumb. If the first doesn't capture it, you may have startled the Pokemon. If the second doesn't capture it, the Pokemon may wish to test you before agreeing to join. If the third doesn't capture, then there must be a reason and you're better off letting the Pokemon go.

Well, except for Pokemon in the Safari Zone. Those ones are often mischievous. Some of them even see breaking Pokeballs as a fun game and it usually takes greater luck to get any Pokemon there. I shouldn't be rambling when I write, right?

I can't reveal exactly what the investigation has uncovered to you, sorry. But it seems that the attack on Kiri was one of opportunity more than anything. They were looking to blackmail a Gym Leader into cooperating with them. Kiri just happened to tick off the member they sent to take the hostage, so she was the one Maxie picked. And we were kind of lucky. Brawly's son is only two and the Mossdeep twins have a sister who is five. If either of those two had been taken, it would have been a much more dangerous situation.

What they wanted a Master Wizard for, though, I can't tell you that. But it would have been reckless and terrible.

Good luck with Wattson's Gym. And don't be too hard on yourself if your team still has trouble. It doesn't matter how well you build a team; there will always be at least one Gym that will give you a hard time. Like the old Lavaridge Leader for me. Ruty used fire types too, and with my group having a lot of Steel types, that was tough even when I did my Mage journey.

* * *

Wally passed the electrical switch puzzle again. "Hi Wattson."

He smiled. "Hey, Wally, nice to see you kid. You ready to try again?"

"Yes. Here." He handed over his ID card.

"Ah, you've picked up another badge and a pair of Pokemon. Nice work. All right, let's go for it!" He brought out his Magnemite.

Wally brought out Amigo. "Fire Punch."

"Yes." As the Magnemite charged itself, the Kirlia teleported over and sent a fiery fist its way. This knocked it out in one shot.

"Good improvement," Wattson said, taking out his second Pokeball.

He acknowledged that with a nod, then said, "Back," then he took his next ball. Bit the Magneton faced off against the Voltorb. Before Wally could give any orders, Bit used Sonic Boom.

The Voltorb exploded; Wally noticed an expression of glee on the odd Pokemon's face. At least it enjoyed blowing itself up. He wouldn't be able to order a Pokemon to use an attack it disliked.

He kept Bit out as Wattson's Magneton came out. It was part of his strategy. "Metal Sound," he ordered Bit.

"Hey, is that you?" Bit asked.

"Whoa, it's you!" Wattson's Magneton replied. It sparked gleefully. "I didn't expect to see you ever again."

"Me either! Oh, but we're battling."

"Drat. Well, that's how it goes, you know?" He sparked, getting ready to follow his order of Sonic Boom.

Bit made a very annoying sound that made everyone in the room cringe. The other Magneton attacked and knocked him out. But they had planned on this, and Wally had made sure Bit was okay with that ("It's how battles go, you know?" was his exact comment). Then he brought out Swablu. "Sing."

"Gotcha," he replied, then started singing a wordless melody. Wattson's Magneton began charging static for an attack, but quickly fell prey to the lullaby. It was asleep before it could attack. Then it was a simple matter of swapping Amigo back in and him using Fire Punch twice to knock it out.

"It's great to see you improve your game plan," Wattson said with a laugh. "Well you've come through and earned this badge."

"Thanks." He listened through the badge and spell explanations. Before he left, though, there was something on his mind. "Hey, do you think you could revive the two Magnetons? I think they know each other."

"You think so?"

He nodded, twisting his hands together trying to mimic an action. "Yeah, did you see how they did that sparking motion? I've only seen mine do that when greeting Pokemon who were on his former team. So they seem to know each other."

Wattson scratched his chin. "That could be. Alright, come over here." He cast the Revive spell over both balls. "Now let's see if you're right. Magneton, I'm just bringing you out for a chat."

"Come out, Bit," Wally said, releasing his. Then he brought out Amigo to translate.

"So when did you evolve?" Bit asked. "It's been over a year since I did, but I spent the last seven months on a Ranch."

"Only three months ago. I was caught five months prior. It's hard work being a Gym Pokemon."

"You fight a lot?"

"Yeah, and you lose quite often. But Wattson says our job is to teach, not to win. So I can live with that."

'They're siblings,' Amigo concluded.

"They're siblings," Wally told the Leader. "They must not have seen each other in a long time."

"That's interesting. They must be twins then."

"Twins?"

He nodded. "Yes. You must have noticed that there is one main unit of a Magneton and two support units. After some time, the two support units develop enough to live on their own, so the main unit lets them go. It grows two new support units and the other two go off as Magnemites. It's an alternate method of birth they have. So if they know each other as siblings, they must be twins."

"That's neat. I'm glad they could come back together."

"You have quite a talent for understanding Pokemon. To notice those signs in battle takes a sensitive mind and heart."

"I try to learn what Pokemon mean."

"You could do well as a Wizard," Wattson said, smiling.

"Well, uh," he scratched his head. "I don't really want to be a Wizard. I can use some magic and that suits me."

"If that is your wish, I'm sure the immortals will honor it and your talent. Hmm, but it could mean something else." He closed his eyes in thought.

"Like what?" Wally asked.

"Have you heard of the shamans?"

"In older stories. But nothing really explained them."

"They were more common before the Leagues came together and made it easier to become a Wizard. A shaman has no Guardian, but does have the ability to understand any Pokemon. We're not sure how they come about, though."

"Huh." He looked at the two Magnetons, still chatting happily. "Maybe it can be found in the old books. I would like to know Pokemon like that."

Wattson nodded. "Continue to observe and listen; perhaps you'll find a forgotten way of magic."

* * *

(08/06, letter from Kiri to Vincent)

Luvflair and Milotic? I've never heard of those two Pokemon, sorry. But yeah, I'd agree that first must somehow come from Luvdisc. They're not caught easily in the waters around Johto, so I have no idea how you'd change it if not many people can manage that evolution. So why don't you try? Or you could tell him that you're doing research; that could get him to say something.

I've met Wally's Magneton, and it is a pain in the neck. It glared at me when I suggested that it could use a bath and polish (it was dusty looking, no matter what it tried to claim). Swablu's a bit shy, but if you make friends with him, he'll sit on your head! It's funny; he looks so much like some exotic hat that I told Wally he ought to 'wear' him out on a date. I've really got to stop embarrassing him like that, huh?

But even Bit isn't as much of a pain as this Castform. Yesterday as I was trying to explain to somebody why it tackled him from behind, it bit me. It doesn't have sharp teeth, but I've got a pale pink mark across the back of my hand. Right now, it's trying to make my letter get all soggy. So those raindrops on this paper? Yeah, that's why.

All well. I've been finding ways to calm it down and lesson the cursed aura. Sweet Scent works, obviously, but strongly scented flowers also work. I can let it follow me around and that helps, although when I call it out, it tends to have a fit and change the weather temporarily. I've decided to not let it battle; while that could work faster, I think it'll actually worsen the problem. During one of its rants, I had Choora translate some of what it was saying. It seems that the cultist Maxie had it fighting a lot. So if I tried to battle with it, it might remember that and strengthen the curse.

Hey look, don't be a stranger! If you ever need a laugh, just find me and I'll tell you one of the many goofy stories I have.

(08/08, letter from Vincent to Kiri)

Wallace isn't telling me where he got those two Pokemon. He says it's a family secret. I even tried telling him I was doing research, like you suggested, but he still wouldn't say anything. All that got me was, "Well you have to pick the right ones and polish them up really well." He's starting to get on my nerves.

I have your father's badge left to get. Missingno's worried, but I've noticed that it worries a lot before a battle, then does really well despite that. It is odd that Norman is running a Normal type Gym. It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with and if it matches his reputation.

I'd drop by to check on you guys more often, but I think I've got these two women stalking me. Normally, I'd be kinda flattered by it, but they seem to be from the cult. Because of that, I'm being really cautious about where I go. I can't let them get hold of Missingno.

* * *

Meteor Falls was an otherworldly place. There were tall steep cliffs of a pale amber color, gardens of rock crystals protected by metal fences, and a series of cascading waterfalls from a spring high up on the mountains. Kiri paused on the sandy path. "That's pretty amazing," she said to her Pokemon.

Samba got up and put his front paws on the lowest fence bar. "Wow, I've never seen water do that before!"

"There were some falls in Granite Cave," Choora told him. "But nothing like that."

"People used to believe that those falls descended from the moon," a boy said. "A silly legend, but apparently that was what they thought."

For a second, Kiri thought it was Vincent. But this teen was a stranger. He wore a green cape and tan clothes. "Didn't anybody fly up and see?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, they figured that the falls were sacred, so nobody went to the source for many years. They say a Dusclops was the one who dispelled the moon rumor, by inciting someone to come look, but we believe it was actually a Salamence using the Dusclops as a translator to do so."

"Oh? And who are we?"

He smiled and tapped a badge on his chest. It had the symbol for the magic of Dragons on it. "Dragon Tamer's Guild, of course. I'm Greg."

She smiled back. "Hi, I'm Kiri. Oh, and don't mind the Castform; it's cursed and has a bad temper because of it."

The Castform hissed in response.

"So you belong to the same group as Lance, huh?"

"And Drake, of course. I'm gonna be as great as them someday. If you're looking to be great, you might want to stick around me."

Kiri snickered. "If you're trying to flirt with me, you're doing pretty badly."

"Th-that's not what I meant," he said, although his ears started to turn pink.

"I gotcha. You up for a battle? I came up here to do some training." That, and she wasn't sure how Dragons fought. This would be a nice opportunity to find out.

"Sure thing. One to one sound good?"

"That's fine." She glanced over her three and considered. "Choora, your turn."

'Fine by me.' She teleported in front of Kiri as Greg summoned a Bagon. He had a long white growth starting from his forehead down to the base of his tail, contrasting sharply with his blue body.

"That one's kinda interesting," Kiri said.

"He's close to evolving," Greg boasted. "Takes a lot of patience to get them to this point."

"But I will evolve fully, just wait!" the Bagon added.

"Yeah, but can you fight now?" Choora teased, flipping her spoon around.

"Focus, then strike," Greg ordered.

"Shield, then all out," Kiri told Choora.

Bagon lowered his head, studying the Kadabra. She brought her hand up, casting a silver-colored Reflect. He scratched his foot into the ground, ready to charge. She brought her spoon forward and focused as well; she had a new spell in mind which could completely blow him away. As Bagon rushed forward, Choora's eye widened. "Whoa, whoa, hang on!"

Startled, Bagon tripped and smashed headfirst into the ground. "What the heck was that about?!"

To the side, Samba tried not to laugh. "Well that's one way to win."

Choora turned to Kiri. 'Check on that egg; something happened.'

"Huh? Hey, can you hold on for a bit?"

The caped boy nodded. "Sure, what's up?"

"She got worried about my egg all of a sudden." Kiri summoned it from its ball. It trembled in her hands. "I think it's hatching."

"That's worth stopping a battle for," the Bagon said.

"Cool! Can I watch?" Greg came over.

"Sure. I'm not sure what it'll be, though."

"I've never seen one hatch before. Where'd you get it?"

"It came from the Daycare. I guess they had a lot of Pokemon at that time and it just showed up."

A crack appeared. For a few seconds, it grew little by little. Then the shell collapsed into a pile of pieces on top of a small human-like Pokemon. She had a pink body and bright yellow hair on her head and arms. "Hooo, that was hard work," she said.

"That's kinda cute," Greg said. "I dunno what she is though."

"I can check." She brought her Pokedex out of her bag.

"Hello there, hatchling," Billina said.

She looked at her, then at Choora. "Hello." She held her arms out. "Can I have a hug?"

The Kadabra smiled and picked the baby up to get her out of Kiri's way. "If you like."

"Aw, she's cute," Samba said.

Kiri checked for the newest entries, coming up with Lunatone, Solrock, Bagon, and "Smoochum, that's what she is. An Ice and Psychic."

"Well that's not good for us. Dragons usually don't fare well when faced with Ice."

"You don't have to worry about that now. I wouldn't make a newly hatched Pokemon fight." She put her book away and looked at the little Smoochum. "I'll name you Honey."

Honey looked up at her face. "So that's my name?"

"Yes, it is," Choora said. "You'd best get some rest after hatching."

"Okay." She went to sleep with Choora still holding onto her.

* * *

(08/11, letter from Kiri to Wally)

The egg hatched! The baby is a Smoochum, so she's Psychic type and Ice type. I named her Honey; hopefully that'll work with her evolved form. I think she evolves into a Jynx eventually, so it should.

There is something kinda interesting about her and Choora. They've already become quite attached to each other. Choora worries about Honey and Honey is always close to her when they're both out. It might be because they're both Psychics, but I also wonder if Choora sees herself as acting as Honey's mother. She's two years old; isn't that old enough on their terms?

That could be good for both of them. Honey has someone to look up to and learn from while Choora might settle down into being responsible. I have noticed that she hasn't tried to flinch anything today. We'll see how long that lasts.

Thanks for the book on raising hatchlings, and for the one about Shadows. I'm hanging onto the hatchling one for a bit longer, but I sent the other one through the Pokecenter back to the Fortree Ranch. So how's your work there going on? It must take up quite a lot of time, but you have Swablu to help Fly you everywhere, so you're not in any trouble of falling behind on the League Challenge. I'd dare you to race for the Championship, but I have to be back in school in less than a month. So I'll just be rooting for you once September comes along, alright? If you go that way, of course.

Then again, why not surprise Vincent and your parents?

(08/12, letter from Vincent to Wally)

I have a question for you. Do you know a legend about three kings? Missingno seemed to be talking to itself for a bit and mentioned three kings. I asked what it meant by that and it said it wasn't sure. There is something in its memory about three kings that's important. I remember when Hoenn was divided into two kingdoms that fought a lot, but nothing about three kings ruling at one time. And it can't mean the Mossdeep twins, because everyone refers to them as sages, not kings.

You won't have much luck getting Bit to listen to you until you get the other half of the obedience aura. Wallace's badge has that. Swablu is likely young enough to be influenced by the first half. Even then, it's harder to get a Pokemon someone else caught to like you.

And do you like Kiri? I know you're friends, but your last letter sounded like you liked her liked her, you know?

(08/12, letter from Wally to Vincent)

It's not like that between me and Kiri. She's just fun to travel with and talk to. I kinda miss her, but not that much.

I'm not sure about your three kings either. It could be that Missingno was from the main islands and not Hoenn. Then there's a lot of possibilities for three kings. But if that's important to it, then how old is it really? Most kingdoms haven't been in power for the past couple of centuries. Was it bonded to a royal person? If that's the case, it could be easier to find its history. Certainly someone of that status having problems with a Guardian would be more likely to make history than an ordinary person.

(08/12, letter from Vincent to Wally)

I see. I was just wondering about her. If you like her, then you should say so.

I didn't get around to telling you yet, but I've been having some memory problems lately. There are some times that I just can't remember. I don't think of it unless I'm trying to recall something, or shortly after I realize that I can't recall a bit of time. It might be nothing, but it worries me.

I just thought about this when looking up some stuff on Shadow-cursed Pokemon. I ran across a magazine article that mentioned how they can cause problems for their Trainer. I looked into that and found that Kiri's in no danger; it's only apathetic or temperamental people who have trouble, the sort you wouldn't want to heal a Shadow with anyhow. But one of the things that can happen is memory blanks.

Another is a sense of cognitive dissonance, where you feel like someone else is in control of your body while you're watching passively. And I wonder if I'm experiencing that too. Especially when it comes to battles. I feel like I'm not quite there. It's probably what aura Missingno has from Lokire's powers. Right now, I'm okay, but if it gets any worse, I could be in trouble.

* * *

It was late, but Wally couldn't sleep. Vincent had sent a worrying letter, saying that he was having memory blanks and other problems possibly connected to Missingno. He said it wasn't worrying now, but the thought of it getting worse was worrying enough.

So he had sent an encouraging letter. He knew how Vincent was; he'd say something wasn't worrying when he was, in fact, worried about it. Maybe he would take up Wally's offer and come travel with him for a few days. It would be better than sticking this out alone.

An envelope slipped under the door and dropped onto the bed. Wally opened it, wondering what he had to say. But in a moment, he knew something was very wrong. It was his own letter than had come back to him.

And down on the bottom of the page, there was an added note. 'Don't worry about it. I'll be fine.'

Swablu hopped onto the bed beside him. "Something up? Something wrong?"

"Something," Amigo said. He got up on Wally's other side and touched his arm. 'What is it? Something wrong with Vincent?'

"He says nothing is wrong," Wally said slowly. "But, I don't believe it, not one bit."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Pokemon

Torkoal  
Trainer: Flannery  
Team: 2nd and 3rd tiers  
Nature: Lonely  
Likes: smoke  
Dislikes: heavy winds

Honey (Smoochum)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Sassy  
Likes: hugs  
Dislikes: spikes

_Organizations_

Dragon Tamers Guild: An international group devoted to Dragon Pokemon, this Guild is tough to enter. There is a series of tests that an newcomer must pass; information about these tests and how to sign up for them isn't easily found. Generally, one must know a member or get noticed as a great Trainer of Dragons to enter. While it is possible to master this type without the Guild, it is rumored that the greatest secrets of the Dragons are only known to Guild members.

Pokemon Rangers: The Rangers are world-renown as champions of the environment and Pokemon rights. They formed fifty years ago in a foreign region, in response to a proposal to build a road through an wetlands, habitat to some rare and unique Pokemon. The Rangers have since raised awareness of such habitats and put protective laws in place to keep them pristine and relatively untouched. They also assist Trainers traveling through such areas. Areas in Hoenn protected by the Rangers include the Tropius Rainforest, Windy Desert, and the Path of Illusion.

_Places_

Path of Illusion: Located west of Pacifidlog, the Path of Illusion is actually a stretch of ocean and small islands that holds a high concentration of natural mana. Sea Pokemon thrive here, especially the rare Wailord, currently believed to be the largest Pokemon in the world. Notable landmarks include Mirage Island, a place that may or may not exist, and Sky Tower, the only place where Rayquaza lands to rest.

_My battles were really short here. Eh, when I write, the battles are usually not as important, a tool like any other part of the story. And loads of stuff happens here._

_Honey is still adorable!_


	18. Father and Daughter

Kiri arrived back in Petalburg late one August morning. She saw her father with his Gym Trainers, probably being out on this lovely day for a lesson. They were involved with that, so she quietly steered her chair to her home. "Hi Mom," she said as she came up to her in the garden.

Samantha smiled broadly. "Kiri dear, welcome back!" She got up and gave her a hug. "I suppose you're here to challenge your father."

She nodded. "Yup, I got four badges now and I'm confident in my team."

"That's good. And who's this little dear?" She went to touch the Castform.

"Keep your dirty paws off me," it snapped.

"Oh, careful around that one," Kiri said. "It's been cursed as a Shadow Pokemon and it's supposed to help calm it down if I let it travel with me."

"So this is the one who controls the weather. It's smaller than I thought it would be."

"I haven't let it battle yet; it gets angry too easily. I know how to calm it down, but it distracts me."

Samantha patted Kiri's shoulder. "I'll come watch, but I'll have to cheer for you both, understand."

She smiled. "I know. Is this class important or can it be interrupted?"

"I think he'll make an exception for you. Let's go check it out."

"Oh, but first, here. I have a baby in my group. She won't be ready to battle for a while." She took off the pastel blue and pink Pokeball and pressed the button. "This is my Smoochum, Honey. Honey, this is my mom; she's going to look after you for a bit, so behave."

Samantha knelt down. "A Smoochum? And a little cutie at that. She could steal the show at contests with some work."

Honey looked up at the stranger, then held her arms up. "Can I have a hug?" She gave a squeal of delight when picked up.

They approached the group of nine. Norman was answering questions, so it must have been the end of their session. A few of his students noticed them approaching and grinned. They knew what was coming up. The Leader noticed their expressions and looked back. He clapped his hands together when he saw them. "Sam, Kiri, lovely to see you. Is there something you want from me?"

"Yeah, I'm here to challenge you!" Kiri said.

He smiled when he took her card. "Is that so? Well no need to go to the formality to using the Gym. We can battle out here, right?" He waved his hand, bringing out a pouch with three Pokeballs.

"Sure thing." She rolled over across from her father while his students moved away. "Castform, you stay out of this."

"Why do I have to do nothing?" it hissed as it grew a pair of fins pointing backwards. The wind picked up and nearly knocked everyone down.

By the time the wind settled, Norman already had the shield and orbs out. "I suppose we'll have to battle under its conditions. Kiri, I'm proud to see you come so far. I've heard good things from the Leaders you've fought so far. But on my honor as a Gym Leader, I will not hold back for anyone, not even you."

"I expect no less," she replied.

"And I expect no less from you. Now, Slaking!" He summoned one of his lumbering sloths onto the Petalburg square.

"Choora, you're up!" She was growing stronger and Kiri knew the Slakings attacked slowly. She planned on using all three of her battling Pokemon; even though Billina had an advantage here, she didn't want to get stuck on a losing defensive like her first battle against Flannery. "Psychic."

"Body Slam," Norman told the Slaking. Then he went into casting Bulk Up, which happened to be the same spell Kiri picked.

The Kadabra focused on her spell, making the wind blur between her and the Slaking. If he was hurt, he didn't show any signs of it. He got up with surprising speed and slammed into Choora, knocking her back hard enough to induce paralysis. Choora scowled at the sudden stiffness in her body; a flare of yellow aura appeared around the Slaking, inducing paralysis in him too. He stumbled onto his back, wasting some time in getting back up.

"Yay Choora!" Honey cheered from the sidelines, squirming in Samantha's arms.

'Shoot, he meant for that to happen,' Kiri thought.

'Why would he want his own Pokemon paralyzed?' Choora asked.

'Because the spell that's practically his signature increases in power when the user is suffering a status problem.'

'Rats. Well I can't help my aura power.'

'Use Arcane Power and hope it counts.'

'I'm on it.' Choora drew her cards while Norman cast a power boosting spell over himself and his Slaking. The card she knocked out was the Six of Swords. "Oh great,' she telepathed sarcastically, 'the Fight skill Double-Edge.' She teleported over to the Slaking and struck him with an ethereal blade that hit her as well.

The Slaking yelped in pain, but then readied itself to attack. "Facade," Norman ordered, recasting his attack boost spell.

Kiri quickly cast Protect. "Try again," she said.

While the blue shield caught the Slaking's powerful spell, Choora reshuffled her cards. She drew Death. 'Memento,' she informed Kiri. 'It boosts the next Pokemon you call; use it well.' Then she fainted from the spell.

She had planned on using Samba next, saving Billina for Norman's second, more powerful Slaking. But if Arcane was going to use that spell, "Billina, Double Kick."

A gold light from Choora's Memento shone around the Combusken as she appeared. "Right." she darted over and knocked out the Slaking on the first kick. The feathers on her head fluttered in the Castform's wind.

"Luck based moves aren't always lucky," Norman commented. "Vigoroth, Quick Attack." He cast his team attack boost again.

"Keep going," Kiri told Billina, casting Bulk Up over her.

"Gotcha good, gotcha quick!" the Vigoroth called out gleefully, dashing aside, then towards her to hit with his speed.

He was met with her left foot, then her right. "I'll put you down quicker," she replied as he was knocked unconscious. She started to move back to Kiri's side, but winced as her right foot hit the ground.

Kiri cast cure over Billina. "That help?"

She put her foot back down gingerly. "It's fine for now."

By then, Norman had his second Slaking out. "Bulk Up," he ordered, casting his team attack boost yet again.

That was four times, right? He might just be keeping his Pokemon powerful, but whenever Norman did attack, it was going to be extremely powerful. And he'd probably pick the best attack spell he could use for this tier of battle, Kiri considered. Billina could hold her own against this Slaking, but Samba would be in trouble.

The obvious solution was to knock Norman out of the fight. And he had been the one to tell her that they took on some of the attributes of their Guardians, right? 'But Laura's gonna hate me for it,' she thought as she slashed one arm down to cast Overheat.

The red blast of superheated air hit her Dad like a Machamp's fist, breaking his handicapped orb in one shot and knocking him to the ground. As an icy blue shield flashed up around him, Laura summoned herself to protect him. She gave Kiri a conflicted look of hurt and confusion. "I suppose it is the risk of battling family," she mumbled.

The spell did leave her feeling chilly; the wind nipped at her face like it would in winter. In the meantime, Billina had used her kicking attack on the Slaking. He responded by smashing his fist into Billina's injured foot. She avoided landing on it.

"You want to return?" Kiri asked, holding off on casting again.

Billina shook her head, then jumped at the Slaking and kicked with only her left foot. Kiri followed up with Shock Wave, to get in a certain hit. In contrast, the Slaking looked at Laura, puzzled to be fighting on his own.

The Glaceon shook her head. "I cannot participate here, save to keep him from further injury."

The Combusken cast Ember, apparently unwilling to use a physical skill again. Kiri repeated Shock Wave, but still the Slaking stood. Then he yawned. A shimmer of white appeared around Billina's head and she looked sleepy too.

"Back, Billina," Kiri called.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Not with your foot like that."

"Okay," she nodded, perhaps more through growing sleepiness than anything. She let Kiri recall her.

She brought out Samba. "Help me finish him off."

"This isn't how we talked about it," Samba said, puzzled. "All well. Eat this, sucker!" He rushed for the Slaking, attacking him wildly with his Fury Swipes skill. That finally knocked him out.

Once the shield came down, Samantha put Honey down and went to help her husband up. "How are you, dear?"

"Fine, I just lost concentration," he replied. After glancing at his students, he said, "Okay, you guys are done; Sadie, make sure the Gym gets closed, as I'm going to need the rest of the day to recover."

"Yes sir," one of the girls said before heading off to the Gym.

"You'll need to get Billina's ankle checked out," Norman told Kiri as she came up. "Could you take this team to the Nurse as well?"

"Sure thing," she replied, taking the pouch. "Sorry Dad."

He patted her head. "No, you did what you had to do to win in taking out an obvious threat. That was very impressive." He yawned. "We'll talk more later."

* * *

(Nine years ago)

Kiri was seven years old. She lay on her stomach coloring a Sudowodo pink and purple. Norman came in the room with Laura and a fishing pole. "Hey sport, if your mom asks when she gets back, I'm out on the deck fishing."

"Kay, dad," she replied.

"I love this vacation; don't you Laura?"

"Can I have fish for dinner too?" she asked as they went outside.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Kiri finished up her picture, then went outside to watch. Not that there would be much to watch, but her dad might tell a story of his many adventures as a Pokemon Wizard. Laura was sitting by his side loyally, while a Slakoth was... slacking off nearby. A lot of people disliked Slakoths, because they were so lazy. But Norman told her that they were powerful, and if one knew how to work with them, they would serve their Trainer well. This one was the child of one he'd gotten back on his original journey, whom he still had.

However, Norman had a catch that was giving him difficulty in bringing up. "Get ready, Laura," he told his Guardian. "I might need your help."

She got to her feet. "Bring it on!"

That's when the wild Gyrados leapt out of the water and rushed at them.

The next thing Kiri saw was a heap of rubble floating off her. The Gyrados had destroyed much of the lakeside cabin. She felt odd because the only thing she could feel was a dull pain in the back of her head. Then Norman and Laura were by her. He placed his hand on her chest. "Hang on Kiri," he said with his voice trembling. "You'll be okay."

She wanted to respond, but felt too weak to do so. Norman cast a healing spell over her. She regained feeling slowly as nerves were healed down her body. But it wasn't much comfort, as then she could feel the pain of broken ribs and crushed organs.

Laura then whined. "Norman, you'll hurt yourself if you keep going."

"I'm... not going to... lose Kiri," he replied. Seconds later, he passed out from the strain.

"Dad?" she asked weakly before passing out again.

Later, she woke up in the care of the elves. One was speaking to her parents. "You saved her life and were able to reverse some of the damage," she said. "But the power of your healing spells weren't sufficient to remove all of it. The nerve damage left is permanent; she won't be able to use her legs again."

"At least she is still alive," Samantha said in relief.

"But I should have been able to keep her from getting hurt in the first place," Norman said, heavily disappointed in himself.

* * *

(Present, 08/14)

As Nurse Joy took care of the Pokemon, Kiri was thinking over old memories. The first year of being handicapped had been tough for her. She didn't want to adapt, but if the elves couldn't heal her, no one could. Then she heard of another attack at the same lake in which the Gyrados had killed someone. They weren't evil creatures, just fiercely territorial and easily angered.

From then on, she appreciated every day that she was alive. The event still frightened her enough that she never made any plans beyond a week, maybe a month if she had to. One never knew what would happen. But now that she was a Mage, she had her Pokemon to think about. She was proud of them. Could they be enough to challenge Steven? She would have to get three more badges, and it would help to have some others on her team. Maybe there was a Pokemon on the east side who would help out. That would take far more than the couple of weeks she had left before school started again. But things were more rewarding these days.

"These ones are healthy," Joy said, interrupting her thoughts. "And you said one needed special attention?"

She nodded. "Yeah; my Guardian hurt her ankle badly." She handed over the flame-patterned ball.

"Hmm." She traced her finger over the ball. "You must have been battling your father."

"Of course; half of these are his Pokemon."

"And they are the only Pokemon I know of in Petalburg that can cause damage like this. Her ankle has been broken and that will need time to heal."

"It's that bad? Is she going to have problems?"

"It depends. Come with me." She placed a sign on the desk that said, 'Please Wait For Assistance'. Then she led Kiri into a backroom.

This was a spotless white room with several areas curtained off for seriously injured Pokemon. There was only one other patient, a Wailmer in a water tank that looked pale and exhausted. Nearby, a young man slept on a floor mattress, presumably the Wailmer's Trainer. Joy led Kiri quietly to the other end of the room. This area had a raised bed.

The elf activated a protective screen before summoning Billina onto the bed. "At least she has fallen asleep," she said. Gently, she placed her hand on the broken ankle.

Glancing around, Kiri felt like she was in that Johto hospital again. It looked very much the same. She could almost see it all again. That window was where she had seen him one day, looking depressed and somehow helpless. She remembered thinking that she must have been imagining things, because her Dad was so powerful that he could never be helpless. But that day at that lake had changed him as much as her, she realized. Maybe she had just been too young to really notice, but Norman's old friends and enemies certainly could tell the difference.

It felt odd, though. Winning this badge made her feel a little bad as well as proud.

The elf started talking again, so Kiri paused her reminiscing. "It is a clean break. She will need a month without battling to recover. If you call her out for more than a short period of time, make sure she does not have to stand on her own."

"Okay."

"You will need to have her checked on weekly to make sure it is healing straight. This is especially important as she is a part Fight type. After a month, we will see how she is doing for more or less restrictions."

* * *

"Kiri, dinner's ready," Samantha called.

"Okay, Mom." She left her room and went to the dining room. Laura made a point of sitting with her back to Kiri and directing her large ears away. "I'm sorry, loyal Guardian," she told the Glaceon as she came closer. "Can you forgive me?"

She paused a moment, then came up to lick her face. "I would have anyhow, but I had to make sure you knew."

After dinner, Norman walked out to the Gym with her. As the Castform was back in its ball, the weather had calmed down. "I had a strange Mage challenge me a week ago," he said.

"Victor?"

"So you've heard of him. He showed up with a single Pokemon, a Feraligator, when most challenge me with at least three. However, that one was a beast. It attacked with such ferocity and power that you would have thought it to be a Shadow like your Castform. And the boy had spells I wouldn't expect to see from a Mage, complex ones that require advanced strategy to set up. Yet he almost seemed bored with the battle."

"Maybe he's just really smart."

"He's certainly that. Still, I've never seen anything like that Guardian, not even other Feraligators. But we're here to speak of your challenge."

"Yeah," she agreed as they entered the Gym. Norman brought out Laura and, at a hint from his eyes, Kiri brought out Billina, now awake. "You feeling okay?"

She leaned on the wheelchair to keep weight off her bound foot. "I've been better."

"Nurse Joy says you can't battle for a month."

"She has to be back in school soon anyhow," Laura commented, rubbing her paw against her ear.

"I can live with that."

"In all my Magic battles, there's only been a few times that I've had my concentration broken. I'm not sure how that makes me feel." Norman walked over in front of her to face her like any other challenger. "I'm happy and proud for you, but also a bit sad, and ashamed at my failing. I guess I can't be completely neutral when it comes to battling you."

"I felt kinda bad for beating you like that," she agreed. "But we did agree to not hold back."

"And we held our words. So you have honorably won the Balance Badge." He enchanted her card. "This will raise the defense of your Pokemon, very useful. And now I can teach you something that will get you much further than anyone would expect. Here," he flicked his hand, producing a card with a wave on it, "is the symbol for Surf, which will allow you to cross water like you cross ground. You can try it out on the lake later."

Kiri grinned. "Awesome. I can't wait to see the look on people's faces."

Norman laughed. "Me either. Secondly, I'm going to teach you Facade." He flicked his hand to produce a second card with several lines at different angles. "It's an attack spell that increases in power if you or your Pokemon are paralyzed, poisoned, or burned. It's a nasty surprise to give to those who depend on those stalling tactics."

"You learned that to defeat Rei, didn't you?"

"That could be true. And unofficially, this is from your mother and me." He handed over a gold coin on a leather cord. "This Amulet Coin will bring you good luck, although you won't be able to tell when it works. I don't think you need luck, but it may give you a small blessing every now and then."

"Thanks, dad." She put it around her neck. "It might help as I work to become Champion."

"You mean that?"

"Of course."

He patted her shoulder and smiled. "Awesome, sport. I can't wait to hear of that. Take care of yourself and your Pokemon."

"You too."

Billina gave Norman a bow with her head. "It was a great battle. You have my respect."

"You did well yourself," Laura replied. "You have helped Kiri grow well over this summer. You have done your job well."

She clucked with a sense of pride, then developed a visible red aura. "It is the duty of the Guardians."

"Huh, what's that about?" Kiri asked.

"I had a feeling this might happen. She's ready for her last evolution, but she needs your help to do so."

"My help? How?"

"Many Pokemon have three stages of development; they may do the first change on their own, but the second usually requires something from the Trainer. Check your Pokedex. When one of your Pokemon is ready for evolution, the method will appear in their entry."

"Sure thing." Kiri took out her Pokedex and looked up Combusken. "It says... she requires a prayer when the magic of fire is strong."

"Have you used a prayer spell before?"

She shook her head. "No, but I saw the two ceremonies and Birch's summoning."

"It's quite different when you're doing it yourself. Well, shall we go?" He tapped his cheek, then added, "Gym Leaders are teachers, after all, to those who stay and those who challenge. I'll be with you for safety reasons, but before we get into it, we need to make a large fire."

* * *

Kiri and Norman went out to the beach. Although the power of Water would be high, they couldn't do this in town and this was the largest non-wooded area around. They gathered firewood and built a bonfire as night settled in. Billina and Laura sat nearby, chatting with each other.

"Okay, first of all, I need to know which immortal approved your bond."

"It was Moltres."

"All right, now that we know who to pray to, you need to know how. You need to focus your mind on Moltres. She comes from Kanto and is a graceful bird of fire. Clear your mind of any other thoughts. Then you must focus your magic on the fire here. You know the feeling you get when you cast spells?"

"Yeah, like warm tingles of power."

"How you feel it is due to your guardian. You must consciously bring that feeling out so that your mana is active. Once you feel ready, speak to the ancients. Depending on the one you ask for, you might have to speak formally. But you definitely must be polite. Tell Moltres that your Guardian is ready for her blessings and ask that she give them to her.

"If nothing happens, ask again. If there still isn't a response, you'll have to wait. Rarely, a Mage might make one immortal angry and the rest will not respond. I doubt you'll have to worry about that; usually there's a clear sign of which immortal is mad at you. In that case, you must make amends with that immortal before any other will assist you."

"I'll try not to make any immortal mad. Okay, I'll do this." She closed her eyes and focused. First her mind. Moltres... she had heard a little bit about her, since Kanto was right by Johto. It was said that she appeared to those lost at night in the wilderness and would lead them to safety. Then focus her mana. Moltres' fire must feel like that, warm and tingly with power.

Norman went to the two Guardians and offered his arm to help Billina hop over. She nodded in thanks and came to sit in front of Kiri. She placed her wings on Kiri's knees. When they were both focused, the Mage put her hands on top of those wings. "I ask for the presence of Moltres, fiery bird of Kanto. My Guardian Billina has served me well and is ready for your blessing. If you find us worthy, please lend her your power."

It didn't take repeating, as the bonfire flared in power. It unfolded itself like a bird stretching her wings. Those wings then surrounded Kiri and Billina in an embrace of power. "Continue to light the way for those who are lost," a kindly voice said. "Never let your fire die."

Then the power retreated, leaving them both worn out. Billina was now four and a half feet tall; her head feathers had grown long and downward. Her wings and body had grown less likely to fly, but more powerful for fighting. As a Blaziken, she was a powerful Guardian. "Our fire will never die," she said.

"You look great. Thanks, Moltres." She dropped back into her chair. "Phew, that is tiring."

Norman nodded. "It is. It'll get easier the more often you use prayers. But that's why a lot of us were worried about Flannery doing this ceremony the first time under such bad signs. I don't know if you've noticed, but every time Wizards and Mages gather, magic naturally builds stronger."

* * *

_Pokenav Extras_

Legends

Moltres: Moltres is one of the three legendary birds of Kanto, representing bravery and fire. Like the others birds and the Johto beasts, it is a cyclical immortal that 'dies' and is reborn once a century. Its strengths and even gender can change from one cycle to the next. Her current incarnation is female and known for being swift.

_Organizations_

Pokemon League: The League exists primarily as an educational group, helping new Trainers and Mages learn about Pokemon through practical demonstrations and battles. The Leaders act as teachers and guides while the Elites conduct a final test. It is not necessary to complete a League Challenge in order to train Pokemon. It's not even necessary for a Trainer to complete a single Gym, but if one truly wishes to know and understand more about them, the League will help immensely.

However, as the League sets high standards for the Wizards who act as Gym Leaders and Elites, any such member is well-respected and admired even if he or she is a total stranger to the community. This leads to Leaders and Elites being given greater responsibilities than just teaching. The League expects honor from its members, including loyalty to a hometown or region. So when trouble arises, League members are often one of the first called on to assist.

_Magic_

Prayer: Calling on one of the immortals to intercede on one's behalf. This can be done by anyone. However, prayers for summoning an immortal in person require the powers of a Guardian. Immortals of lower rank (ex: Manaphy) and in greater contact with mortals (Moltres) are easier to summon. Immortals of higher rank (Mew) and in less contact with mortals (Groudon/Kyogre) are harder to summon. A prayer for evolution is considered one of the simpler ones to perform; Trainers without a Guardian can ask a Mage, Wizard, or elf for assistance

Guardian Approval: Each kind of Pokemon has a particular immortal that watches after it, but Guardians fall under a special arrangement. One Torchic might be approved by Moltres, while another is approved by Entei. It's not always the particular type either: Norman and Laura's bond was approved by Rayquaza.

_I love the fact that the main character's father is a Gym Leader in Hoenn. It just builds up so much anticipation for that fight, and Norman is tough enough that he meets that._

_And now you know how Kiri became handicapped. The Pokemon world is pretty dangerous; I mean, they even warn kids against going into tall grass on their own. Although, we do get warned about that here, but that's only because of deer ticks and Lyme disease. Oh, and the brown recluse. With Pokemon, you got to worry about your everyday average bird attacking you!_


	19. Safari Adventures

Surf did work with her wheelchair, much to Kiri's delight. The water offer no more resistance than paved surfaces. However, it was a calm day. Rougher waters might take more control.

She found herself in Mauville again. A trip to the Pokecenter got her the Heal spell, which cured any status effects, and a tip that the last spell would come with a seventh badge. As she left, she remembered Cycling Road from when she and Wally had passed through here. At the time, they ignored it because Wally had no bike (and didn't have the lung strength to bike all that way). With a mischievous grin on her face, she rolled into the gate. "Hi there," she said brightly. "May I come through?"

The only Pokemon she had out was Honey, in her lap. "Whee, let's go on a fast ride!"

"I'm sorry," the guard said, "but you need a bike to go on Cycling Road."

"But I'm in a wheelchair!"

"Uhhh..." he looked bewildered.

"It's a one person hand-powered thing with wheels," she pointed out. "Isn't that practically a bike?"

"It's not exactly a bike."

"Anyhow, I bet I can go faster in my wheelchair that some fool can on a bike. So may I go on?"

"Is it really that fast?"

"Yes!"

"Wahahaha," a cheerful laugh responded. Wattson came up and put his hand on the handles. "She might be able to go that fast. What's the argument about?"

"He won't let me go on Cycling Road cause I don't have a bike," Kiri said sweetly. "But I can run over water in my wheelchair, so why can't I go down this path?"

"Well I'm not sure if the cyclists would be able to see you," the guard said uncertainly.

"She can handle herself," the Leader said. "If she wants to, let her go."

"I guess, if you say so."

"Thanks, Wattson."

"No problem. Although, are you in a hurry to get to Slateport?"

"Not really," she admitted. "I just wanted to cruise around for a bit. I can take a break every now and then, can't I?"

"Of course. So if you can use Surf, I assume that you defeated your father."

She nodded. "Yup. It was a tough fight for both of us."

"Ah. I'm gonna have to go talk with him. I know what it's like to see your kids come back home as excellent trainers. But good work on your part. Now, could I ask a favor of you?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Come out here." Once they were outside, he pointed across the lake. "See that so-called cave over there? That's the generator for Mauville."

"Generator?"

"Yes. We run special mana crystals to create electricity, which we then use to power the west side of Hoenn."

"Neat."

"Normally, I can let it be, but some problems have come up lately. I'd get one of the young'uns around here to help me out, but they're all busy. Would you mind coming over with me to check up on things?"

"Not at all; glad to help. Honey, you'll have to sit this out."

"Bummer," she said before being called back into her ball.

By using Surf to walk or roll over Mauville Lake, they reached the generator. It looked like a boulder on the outside. And on the inside, being brown with the texture of sandstone. But there was a giant steel door in the back guarded by a Steelix. The large metal snake observed them and hissed a greeting. Wattson nodded to the guard, then traced the symbol for Unseal on the door. A light blue circle appeared. He placed his hand on it to confirm his identity. With that, the door unlocked.

Inside, there was large open room with a spherical dip in the center. Down in this hole were grooves that spun around something yellow at an astonishing speed. Sparks flew to a column in the center, which seemed to be sending the mystical energy to a machine in back. Around this column were many Magnemites, steel gray spheres with a pair of magnets attached to their head.

"Just as I suspected," Wattson said.

"Magnemite infestation?" Kiri asked.

"Yup, right on the nose. We need to get them out, or they'll keep gumming up the works."

"Actually, I think I'll try catching one. I want something that can use lightning. Castform can do that, but it's unreliable right now."

He laughed. "Good thinking, lass. I highly recommend these little guys. So let's go. Shocks and Sparx, you're up."

He summoned a Magneton and a Raichu. From the dark blue Pokeball with thunderbolts on it, Kiri could tell that the latter was Wattson's Guardian. An unusual one; it was fairly easy to catch a Pikachu, then evolve it into a Raichu. A neighbor she had back in Johto had one. But it seemed that Guardian Pikachus were different from their peers.

"Hail fellows," the Raichu said to the Magnemites. "I'm sorry, but you're causing many people problems."

"Come here, children," the Magneton said in triplicate.

A fair number of the Magnemites responded to the Magneton's call. But enough remained to continue causing the generator problems. "Sparx, you know what to do. Be careful."

"Of course," Sparx replied. He hopped onto the guardrail, then jumped across the generator pit to the column, knocked off a Magnemite, then jumped back.

Choosing carefully, Kiri called Choora. "Could you hit one gently and confuse it?"

'My attacks won't do much to those steel creatures anyhow,' Choora pointed up. But she went ahead and focused on the one the Raichu had just knocked off. "All your base are belong to us," she told it.

"Uh, what?" the Magnemite responded, effectively confused.

She then hit it with a blast of psychic energy. As she predicted, it didn't work well. But it was enough to make its hovering unstable. Kiri prepared the new Pokeball, then threw it in such a way that it captured the Magnemite, but kept going so it landed outside the pit.

Wattson whistled. "Nice technique."

"Thanks." She then had Choora help shoo the Magnemites away from the column and towards the Magneton.

"Alright, I think we got all of the little buggers," Wattson said after five minutes of the roundup. "Shocks, go out and release them."

"They won't return," Shocks said, then drifted out with the hive of Magnemites.

"They're attracted to electricity," Wattson explained. "Occasionally one will find a way down here, then call others. We don't usually notice it here in Mauville, but we will get complaints from Fallarbor of outages."

Kiri picked up her new Magnemite's ball. "I see. So how's this generator work?"

The old man put his hands on the guardrail and looked over his work. "You see those zooming lights below? Those are minus crystals. You'll find them all over Hoenn; they're those yellow crystals hanging off street lamps."

"Those things? I wasn't sure why they were out in public."

"Mana comes from within all living creatures, from their emotions. It helps us live and dream. We all radiate this energy; those of us who can manipulate mana produce a lot more than others. Anyhow, these crystals soak in the mana that we put off. Yellow crystals won't bother anyone, but beware of black minus crystals. Those can kill a Wizard given enough exposure.

"Once the crystals are full of energy, so to speak, they start glowing to get rid of the excess. The crystals then get sent to generators like this one. When they're spun around like this, the mana energy turns to raw electricity, which is gathered there. That machine in back processes that energy into a usable form, and then we send it out to wherever its needed. That's the simple explanation, anyways."

"That's interesting. No wonder you have this place sealed up so well."

"It's too important not to leave this place guarded. Thanks for your help, Kiri. In exchange, I'm about to teach you a valuable skill for a Mage."

"What's that?"

"How to make an evolution stone. But first, we need to go buy some salt."

In particular, they needed to buy a salt stone. The store clerk at the Pokemart had a box of six, which he sold to Kiri for 60 dollars. These stones, about the size of a walnut, were made of solid salt. They were translucent with tinges of other minerals in pink, blue, or other colors. Then Wattson brought her back to his Gym. Choora watched with interest. She nearly slipped one of the salt stones away, but a quick glance from Kiri got her to put it back meekly.

"These are high quality salts," Wattson told her as they examined another over a table. "Chefs will order them as the most pristine, to shave or grate off what they need. But they're also the perfect material for an evolution stone."

"The stones you need to change some Pokemon?"

"Right. It takes at least a Mage's skill to create, and you'll need several days to finish it. But the end result is a stone of much higher price than the simple salt stones, running several thousand dollars for more difficult types. Here." He tapped the cover of her Pokedex. "I added a list of what Pokemon need what stones to evolve. But it only lists that which I have seen, so it's not complete."

Kiri opened up to the new section and looked over the list. "Hey, it says Samba needs a Water Stone to evolve into a Ludicolo."

"Then that should be your first attempt. Of course, don't stop with just what you need. I know it's tough when you first start out as a Mage, because there aren't many ways to earn money. But once you learn to make these stones, you should be fine."

"So long as I don't go crazy, I guess."

"Absolutely. Your Water stone is one of the easier ones, along with the Fire, Thunder, and Leaf stones. Place the stone in one of your palms, then cover it with the other. Now focus that particular type of magic into your hands. Do this for about five minutes in the morning, then another five minutes in the evening. It will start to turn blue. Continue this every day until a symbol appears on the stone. It will be that of a Water spell you know, maybe even Surf. Then your salt stone has become an evolution stone."

"I see. And I give this to Samba when he gets that little halo on him?"

"Correct."

"Okay, thanks Wattson!"

"You're welcome, lass."

Outside the Gym, Kiri called out Billina, Honey, and Samba, as well as the new Magnemite. "Hello little magnet; this is the team you're going to be on. Now I just have to figure out what to call you."

"I'm Fred," the Magnemite said. "F-R-E-D, Fried Rice Egg Drop, but no soup, Fred."

Choora repeated this word for word to Kiri, who laughed. "Okay, Fred, as you like. Were you captured before?"

"Yeah, but the kid had a rival with a Vulpix, V-U-L-P-I-X, who kept flaming me. He called me worthless and let me go. But I can't help it. You try having your body heated up unbearably just on one Flamethrower spell. Still, I love the name he gave me."

"I can see," Kiri replied. "You can't be worthless just because you're weak to fire. Anyhow, I need someone who can cast lightning spells."

"I can do that, easy peasey one-two-threesie, easy as pie, P-I-E. Yup, I'm your guy."

"You're an it, not a guy," Choora pointed out. "Your kind doesn't have any genders."

Fred shook his magnets. "I am too a guy, G-U-Y! I have a guy's name, so I must be a guy. It's no contest, C-O-N-T-E-S-T."

Samba jumped up and cheered. "Yes, another guy! I don't mind you girls, but, well, it was getting kind of lonesome being the only guy around."

"Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!" Fred replied, hovering down lower to look eye to eye with the Lombre. "How could you stand that?"

Honey giggled. "You're funny. You deserve a huggy." She waddled over, jumped up, and gave Fred a hug.

He darted up, causing her to drop. "Eww, I don't want no girly hug."

'This looks to be entertaining,' Choora commented to Kiri.

"Yes it does," she said.

* * *

The west and east sides of Hoenn were separated by a mountain range and a large lake east of Mauville. As Kiri rolled onto the east side of Hoenn for the first time, a fisherman stared at her. "How, how did you do that? I've seen wizards walk across this lake, but never ride across on a wheelchair."

"I'm a Mage," she said. "I can do it."

"And since her wheelchair is so vital to her, enchantments go over it easily," Steven said. This time, he was dressed casually in a red shirt and jeans, something more appropriate for exploring. "Hello there Kiri."

She nodded. "Hi Steven. Still looking after us?"

"Partly. I have a lot more free time now that I'm no longer Champion."

"Someone beat you? Aw man! I was looking forward to battling you."

He laughed. "That's good to know, at least. Would you mind walking for me a little while? I wanted to talk to you about that Castform you have."

"Okay, sure." She rolled forward, leaving the still boggled fisherman behind. "But who beat you?"

"A young Mage called Victor Gaines. It was a peculiar battle, one that's left me puzzled."

"How's that?"

"He only had his Guardian with him, a Feraligator. I know a few of mine could have taken down a normal Feraligator, not to mention several others in the Elite teams. But not this one. He and Victor knew so many spells that I could hardly believe that he was still a Mage. I know that if you manage to become Champion, you automatically become a Wizard. That's how I earned my rank. But if you're Champion of one region, or have been one, you have to inform Gym Leaders of this so they give you the appropriate challenge. I don't understand how one Mage and one Pokemon could be so powerful."

Something was up with that Missingno, Kiri thought. Yes, Vincent was intelligent enough to excel in magic, but this was on the brink of being unbelievable for her. Missingno may have been a former Guardian, but with all the effort she put into her team, for them to win the Championship with little effort was difficult to comprehend.

But she had promised, and until she spoke with Vincent, she would keep the secret. "That is really odd."

"If you still have your eye on becoming Champion, take caution when fighting him. Who knows? Maybe I will challenge you when you have all eight badges, so you have an idea of just how powerful that Feraligator is."

"Okay. But first I have to get to Fortree."

"Ah. But you have school in a couple of weeks. You might have to put off Fortree until next summer."

"Why's that?"

He pointed ahead. "This area is known as the Tropius Rainforest. Hardly a day goes by when it doesn't rain here. As such, the vegetation is thick and lush. Your wheelchair doesn't stand a chance in the bamboo fields, and the second largest one is just ahead."

"Huh, wish I'd known about that before." She looked over, although the tall trees blocked her vision. A blue blur indicated that yes, it was raining.

"Anyhow, your Castform. How is it doing?"

"I'm making progress with it. It doesn't ram into people anymore." She took its Pokeball and released it. "How're you doing today?"

It glared, as usual. "Ugh, why do you have to keep bothering me? You never understand a word I say, so why keep talking to me? Dolt."

Steven looked over it, then nodded. "The black aura has weakened; being with you must be working. Actually, it came from this Rainforest, or more specifically, the Weather Institute that is here. The magician there makes the Castforms."

"Really, he makes a living Pokemon? How?"

"I don't fully understand it myself. You might ask the doctor yourself, but he speaks a technical language. He sends them high into the atmosphere to get measurements on the air, like movement, humidity, temperature, and so on. Then they return to the Institute to report their findings. However, no one's heard of a Castform actually changing the weather until this one did."

"It is surprising that such a small Pokemon can do that."

"Like I've said a bajillion times, my size doesn't matter!"

"Now if we just knew what she was like without the Shadow curse," Kiri added. Now that they'd gone a fair way, she could see a dense thicket of bamboo headed north and a route running east. She pointed that way. "What's that road like?"

"Lots of small cliffs and ledges," Steven answered. "There's some nice country homes out there, but I don't think there's a path you can take."

"Huh. I might look around for a bit for new Pokemon, since I can't use this one,"

"Bah."

"I was thinking of getting another, even though that'll give me seven. Still, most wizards I've met don't seem to use their Guardians in battle. It makes sense, given how it feels when they get defeated."

Steven nodded. "Right, and so often the Guardian is strong enough to make matches unfair. That's normal, so no one's going to give you a hard time for having seven. Hmm." He put his hand on his chin, thinking. "I suppose if you don't mind paying your own way."

"Paying for what?"

"The Safari Zone outside of Lilycove. I'm here to pick up my cousin Kyle for a trip there to pick up his first Pokemon. He's twelve, so he just got his license, and doesn't want to wait for the Mage applications. It makes sense; I'm the only one in my family that's a Wizard right now."

"Is that one of those places where they put in Pokemon from other regions for people to catch?"

"Yes. As I said, if you don't mind paying your own way in, I could take you along too. A trip through there would give you more options than just this area."

Kiri smiled. "Sure, thanks."

"You're welcome. Come on; Kyle's probably anxious to go."

* * *

Vincent was Champion.

No. He shook his head and looked in the mirror. Victor was Champion. He was now Victor Gaines, the strongest new Wizard to come along in years. He could forget all about Vincent Starmie, the nerdy guy who had somehow failed to become a Mage. So unfair... but that was the unimportant past now, thanks to Missingno.

Just forget all about Vincent.

Victor saw, in the mirror, his always perfect golden curls, his striking (and properly functioning) blue eyes, and his new white Wizard robes. Black Unown text ran along the hemlines. He had spent some time translating it. 'Learn with every new day, linger with every new thought, love with every new heartbeat.' Cheesy, but it was tradition.

Not that long ago, he had visited Lilycove. It had been gray and cloudy, but people were still at the beach. Those beautiful Lilycove girls were still out, dressed in bikinis and gossiping in groups of three or four. When they had seen him, they were instantly attracted to him. "Who is that guy?" they said. "He's so dreamy. Why can't there be more guys like him around here?"

Some had fought over who deserved to talk to him, some had come over to flirt with him, and a couple even tried to stalk him. So what did Victor do? He ignored every single one of them.

The attention was grand, but the revenge was exquisite.

But what about Wally?

Victor frowned and tried to dismiss the thought. It came anyhow. Wally had been his first friend, his only friend for a long time as the other major bookworm of Petalburg. Vincent had nearly worshiped books, while Wally was often too weak to do anything but read. When times were bad, he would visit Wally, no matter what sickness he had.

And even after he moved, Wally continued to write. He had kind words for when Vincent was upset over getting rejected. True, Wally had even worse luck when it came to girls; he got nervous whenever one of his crushes walked by him. But at least they could talk to each other without fear of teasing.

So why wasn't he writing anymore? Was he mad about something? He didn't think there was anything in his last letter to upset Wally. Maybe teasing him about Kiri, but he should have known it was just friendly chatter.

And for that matter, what of that girl Kiri? She had written a few times, even though she barely knew him. It was mostly goofy stuff, telling him to appreciate every day that he was alive. But she hadn't written for a while. Not that he really cared about her. It was just, that attempt at making contact was good, the possibility of peering into the female mind and seeing how to attract it...

He did miss them.

"Are you all right, Victor?" Missingno asked.

"I'm just thinking," he said. "I'm fine."

* * *

As Wally walked through Ash Valley, he worried about Vincent. He had written his friend several times since that exchange on the twelfth, but his letters kept returning. Something was bouncing all of Vincent's mail. He couldn't even write to 'Victor Gaines' and get the letter to reach him. But everyone he'd talked to said that there wasn't much one could do about someone else having a Mail block.

Could it be that Vincent didn't want to talk to him? But why? They had parted as friends, as always, so what had happened? Was he annoyed about his concern?

'I think that's the place,' Amigo said, tugging at his shirt to get his attention.

He looked up to see a small stone house. "Yeah, that's the right address. Let's see if he's home." He went up and knocked at the door. "Rei? It's Wally, from Petalburg."

The former Gym Leader opened the door. "Wally, good to see you again. Would you like to come in?"

"If it's all right. Hope you don't mind me dropping in."

"It's no trouble."

Rei's home was modest and simply decorated. Part of that was due to his unusual form; he had to place all the furniture against the wall so it didn't get in his way. And much of it was made of stone with no cushioning whatsoever. But there was some color in the form of small tapestries, vases with wildflowers, and photos hung on the wall.

Rei got out some lemonade. "Now what brings you up north here? Seeing new sights or finding new Pokemon?"

"Thanks," Wally said as he took the glass of lemonade offered. "Actually, I had a question that I thought you could answer."

"I'll answer if I can. What is it you seek?"

"When I last spoke with Wattson, he said that I seemed to be developing abilities like the shamans had in old days. I know that shamans were the first humans to figure out magic, even though they had no Guardians. But I can't find out much about them. Do you know anything more?"

"About shamans? Yes. I had to research them to know how to make full use of my magic. While I've learned all that a Seviper can learn naturally, my human side allows me to use other spells once I figure out how. Would you mind telling me what made him say that to you?"

"When I fought him, my Magneton gave his Magneton a greeting as if they were familiar to each other. I noticed that and we found out they were actually twins, so that's why."

"That would be a potential sign. A lot of what our ancestors called human magic was simply the shaman being able to understand a Pokemon that they could not completely communicate with. But they also had a mark of some sort, a sign one of the immortals left on the shaman to show them as special. How such a mark is obtained was not written down, at least not directly."

"Were there any clues left about it?"

"Some. If you give me a while, I'll find the books that reference the shamans best. In the meantime, would you mind going out to the desert with me?"

* * *

The air over the Windy Desert was yellow with loose sand. Rei touched Wally's eyes with his hands. "A minor spell, this should keep the sand from harming your eyes."

"Okay, thanks."

"But you should send your Kirlia away. There are some wild Pokemon in here that could injure him badly."

'If I must go,' Amigo said. 'Be careful, Wally.'

"I will," he said before withdrawing him to his Pokeball. "So what are we looking for here?"

Rei led the way into the desert. "A Pokemon that's readily found in this desert if you know how to spot it, but rarely seen outside of this place even in a Trainer's team. It will be close to the ground. It is a tenacious little beast that regularly injures humans walking through here, so stay close to me."

He felt nervous to be seeking out a Pokemon known for injuring humans, but Rei felt it was important somehow. He trusted the old Gym Leader. "Alright. What is it called?"

"We'll see about finding it first."

They walked into the desert until the sand in the air blocked their view of anything but the desert. A Sandshrew popped out of the ground near them, but Rei shook his head. Wally figured that wasn't it, because he'd seen several Trainers with a 'shrew or its evolved form of Sandslash.

Then a round green Pokemon came into their sights. It was covered in sharp needles. "That's a Cacnea," Wally said. "I've seen it a couple of times before."

"Yes, and they can draw blood with those needles. But that's not the one we're looking for. The one we seek can cause much greater injuries."

Wally swallowed nervously. Getting pricked with a sharp needle sounded bad enough. So what was worse out here?

"Don't be too nervous," Rei said. "Although some Pokemon have a reputation for being vicious, they don't actually harm anyone without reason. Even though this one might harm a number of people, its main concern is to protect itself."

"Right, Pokemon don't think like humans do." He thought about that for a second, then asked, "Do you think more like a Pokemon or a human?"

"Even though I have a number of Seviper behaviors, there is a certain pattern of thought that humans have that Pokemon cannot normally attain. For that reason, my mind is considered human." He stopped, then pointed ahead. "There, look closely at the sand. That is a sign of the one we're looking for."

"In the sand?" Wally looked, but couldn't see anything different about the sand in that area. He went closer, keeping his eyes on the ground. Then he saw the way the dip in the sand seemed to be like a funnel. This wasn't the usual lay of the sand, it was an intentionally dug pit. But he couldn't see anything in there. "I don't know if it's here."

The desert wind made a hollow roar and humming whistle as it picked up speed. The visibility was cut even shorter. And he couldn't hear a response.

"Rei?" He turned and looked around, but couldn't see the old Gym Leader anywhere. And he should have been hard to miss, what with his size and purple scales. "Rei!"

Maybe he was testing Wally to see what he would do when faced with an unfamiliar Pokemon. Then he had to figure out how to get this Pokemon to appear. He went closer to the pit; the Pokemon was likely to be well camouflaged.

However, the sand near the pit was looser than he expected. Before he knew it, he had slipped into the pit and a pinkish-orange Pokemon was clamped onto his ankle. She had a beak-like claw on her head that was vastly out of proportion with the rest of her small body. As Rei had guessed, Wally hadn't seen this kind of Pokemon before.

'Well that explained why people are getting hurt,' he thought, trying to still his racing heart. They stumbled into this kind of pit exactly like he did. It probably spooked the Pokemon as much as it did the people.

She watched him warily, showing no signs of letting go. But she wasn't clamped on as tightly as she could. It might leave a superficial scratch and little more. This calmed Wally some. Perhaps she would clamp on tighter if he screamed or startled her more, so the key was to keep both her and himself calm.

"I'm sorry," he said gently. "I didn't mean to fall in your pit. See?" He brought his hands up slowly; she watched them with caution. "I don't mean you any harm."

She didn't look quite so wary now, but still didn't let go.

That beak was part of her mouth, right? Wally reached into his bag and pulled out a Pinap berry he had picked earlier that day. "I'll give this as an apology, okay?"

That did it. She let go, then took the berry from Wally's hand without nipping one of his fingers off too. He patted her on the head, then did his best to climb out of the pit without bothering her much more.

"That's the one," Rei said, finally appearing by the pit.

"She's not that mean," Wally replied. "What is she?"

"A Trapinch. A Ground type that is a patient hunter; their beaks can crush rocks. They're also known for not letting go once one has you trapped, yet you managed to get away with no injury to either of you."

"I can see how people would get hurt, though. Their instinct must be to cling harder when frightened."

"Correct. Then you do have the traits of a shaman."

Down in the pit, the Trapinch mumbled, "Wish I'd known you guys were going to make an object lesson of me today."

Wally scratched his head. "But I didn't do anything that special, just tried to keep myself calm and consider what she must be feeling. Just common sense, really."

"You'd be surprised how uncommon common sense can be. With that done, we'd best leave." He turned himself around; Rei could move with surprising swiftness. "There's another Pokemon in this desert, the Baltoy, that likes to confuse travelers and misdirect them. They think it's funny."

"Alright... huh?" His pants had gotten caught on something. When he looked down, the Trapinch let go and looked back up at him. "What? Do you want to go with me?"

She tossed her beak up. "What can I say? You're a different kind of person. I want to know what you're going to do, so may I follow?"

"It seems that she does," Rei said. "It's your choice. But, listen."

"Hmm? To what?" He heard mostly the wind, the hollow roar and the strange whistling that almost sounded like music. "Is something out here singing?"

"The spirit of the desert, Flygon. We won't find that desert dragon unless it wants us to. But she could grow into one some day and would do so faster under the guidance of a Trainer."

"Well that's an even better reason," the Trapinch said.

So Wally captured the Trapinch and brought her along on his travels.

* * *

Kyle was waiting anxiously, hopping around on stepping stones and making his pale blond hair bounce all over. Once he spotted them, he ran over. "Steven!" He hugged his older cousin. "Thank you!"

Steven patted the boy's shoulder. "You're welcome, Kyle. Are you ready?"

"Yeah." He glanced at Kiri. "Who's this?"

"She's a friend of mine, Kiri. Kiri, this is my little cousin Kyle."

"Hi kid, good to meet you." She offered her hand.

He shook it eagerly. "Hi, are you his girlfriend?"

"What? No way. At least, not yet."

Steven laughed at that. "No, we're just friends." He looked over at the porch and waved at the woman there. "I'll take good care of him, Aunt Jamie."

She waved back. "Have fun."

He held his hand up, bringing up a slight glow to it. "Then it's time to Fly." He swept his hand down to cast the spell.

The scenery faded into black for a moment, then reformed from a rainforest to a conifer forest. To the south was a large mountain in the middle of a lake. To the north was a rustic looking building bearing the sign 'Hoenn Safari Zone'.

"I'm gonna get a Pokemon that none of the kids on my route has," Kyle boasted happily.

"Sure enough." He turned to Kiri. "I have to watch him, so go where you like in here. We'll stay in the Gatehouse if we get done before you."

She nodded. "Okay, I will too."

They entered the Gatehouse. There was a sign next to the door that informed everyone of what this place was about:

'Welcome to The Safari Zone! You catch'em, you keep'em. Please follow these rules so that the game is fair for everyone.

1\. Do not use your own Pokemon inside the Safari Zone, except in emergencies. Pokemon caught with the help of others will be confiscated.

2\. Use only the provided 30 Safari Balls. Their magic will only work in this area, but will be more effective at catching healthy Pokemon.

3\. All minors under fourteen years old must be accompanied by a parent or a certified Trainer. To such persons: make certain that your ward catches something he or she can control!

4\. The population of the Safari Zone changes from week to week, so if you don't see what you want, check again later!

5\. If you wish to release a Safari Zone Pokemon, please return it here, to another Safari Zone branch, or to an approved Pokemon Ranch. Do not release a Safari Zone Pokemon into territory that is alien to it.

6\. All Pokemon in the Safari Zone come from certified breeders and trackers to ensure humane treatment and friendliness to people.

Entrance fee is $500 for Trainers, $250 for minors under 14, and $650 for uncertified individuals.'

She waited on Steven and his cousin to sign in, then came up to the desk. "Hi, I'd like to come in too."

"Welcome to the Safari Zone," the receptionist said. "May I see some ID?"

Kiri pulled out her Trainer card. "Sure."

"Good. It will be 500 dollars." Once Kiri paid, the receptionist brought her over to the other side of a gate. She handed over a wrist band that looked like a cheap watch and a brown bag. "You have five hours within the park today. These wristwatches will help us keep track of you; if you ever need assistance, press the red button here for a Zone Keeper. And the balls are in here; you'll have to purchase more if you run out. Good luck with your Safari Adventure!"

The Safari Zone was a place for an adventure. Tall grasses were everywhere. Native and non-native plants filled the scenery; Kiri recognized a few bushes as being from Johto or Kanto. There was a pristine lake, bike paths, plateaus, and rocks. Scattered about were bait boxes, in case one wished to draw Pokemon that way.

But it wasn't necessary. Nearby, she saw Steven and Kyle contemplating a small blue Pokemon with a long nose. It flapped its large ears and observed them. Kiri decided to observe as well.

Kneeling by his cousin, Steven brought out a ball. "Okay, this guy doesn't look that skittish. This little black screen here is the status indicator, which will inform you about the resident Pokemon's condition, if it's sleeping, suffering from a status effect, or hurt. Right below it is the release button; you use that to summon the Pokemon connected to the ball and to return it when necessary. Now since we're just relying on luck here, press the button to get the ball ready."

He did so. There was a click a second later.

"That sound tells you it's ready, but you can't wait too long to throw." He tossed it at the Pokemon. Kiri noted that he did it without the Capture spell. There was a glow of white light as the small elephant was absorbed. The ball shook, then shattered. "Aw, that one escaped on me."

It decided to run off at that point, scrambling back behind some bushes.

"So that's how you do it. Pretty simple, but it depends on luck."

"Okay. What was that Pokemon?"

"We can find out." He pulled out his Pokedex. "There you go. Phanpy, a ground type."

Kyle studied the entry for a minute. "Huh. Can we look around for a little bit? I want a great Pokemon."

"Sure thing." The two went down a dirt trail.

Kiri spent the first three hours strolling around, observing the Pokemon there. The other two appeared to be doing the same; she watched the boy lose six Safari balls on a Scyther. Steven could have used the Capture spell for him, but didn't. That was the smart move, considering that the bug had scythes on its arms and may have been dangerous for a young Trainer to start with.

A little while later, Kiri made her decision. But first, she pulled Billina's ball off her belt and summoned her. "I got something to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"I've noticed that most Wizards don't use their Guardians in their battle team. It makes some sense, you know, because it's distracting when you get knocked out, or even just hurt badly. I feel it." She patted her chest.

"We are linked deeper than the others."

"So I was thinking of pulling you out of my active party and adding another. You'll still be with me; I doubt anyone will argue against me carrying seven Pokeballs if you're passive. I just want to make sure it's okay with you."

The Blaziken thought a moment, then nodded. "I understand. I will always be there to protect you, but it is best that you don't depend on me in League battles."

"Good. In that case, I had my eye on that Tyrogue over there." She pointed across an outlet pond to where a small Pokemon was punching and kicking the air in a practice battle. "He seems pretty intense for his size."

She looked, then nodded again. "His spirit is certainly strong."

"Okay, then I'd better put you back or they might say you helped."

Once she recalled Billina, Kiri cast Surf on her wheelchair to reach the small island the Tyrogue was training on. He had a brown body with blue feet and what seemed to be blue boxers. Looking like a boy's action figure, he made combative play with his shadow. She decided to catch him off-guard, so threw a Safari ball before he noticed her.

The ball soon shattered. Landing with a gleam in his eyes, he challenged her. "I will only go with those who prove themselves worthy! And that does not include some weakling who can't stand." He leapt at her.

Kiri quickly put up Protect. The Tyrogue bounced off and tumbled into the water. "Careful there," she said. "A little feisty, aren't we?"

"Hmph, so you're a Mage of some skill." Picking up a rock, he leapt out of the water and threw it at her.

She didn't know proper telekinesis, so she activated Strength to shove the rock away. It flew over the Tyrogue's head and into the sand. There, it left an eight inch long trail.

"Then show me your true defenses," he called, right before dashing up and punching her in the leg.

Of course, she didn't feel a thing. "Yikes. I hope you didn't break any bones."

The Tyrogue looked up at her, puzzled. "You didn't feel my mighty punch?"

"I dunno what you just asked, but I can't feel my legs. That's why I'm in a wheelchair. But I'm not going to let that stop me from doing anything, not even catching you."

"Huh. So you're not a fighter, but you have the spirit of one." He bowed to her. "In that case, I would not mind serving you."

"Okay, let's try this again." She threw another ball at him. This one locked to him. She picked it out of the water after some effort, but then noticed the dark stain on her jeans. "Oh great." She tapped the red button on the watch, then went back to shore to wait on help.

* * *

"The little rogue shattered your leg bone," Nurse Joy said as she examined Kiri's leg. "It needs to remain in a cast for three months to heal properly."

"Okay. Is it going to cause any problems?"

"I have eliminated the chance for infections, but the bone may not heal completely straight. Not that it matters much, since you do not use it. However, since you cannot feel it, take great care in how you move."

"I understand."

The receptionist came in with a man dressed in a tan overcoat and an explorer's hat. "Miss Brown, this is Warden Fang, head of the Hoenn branch."

"Hello, young Mage," he said, shaking her hand. "I'm very sorry this happened to you. We try to avoid any injuries here, but it happens from time to time."

"It's fine," she replied. "I caught the Pokemon I wanted, so it turned out well."

He smiled. "Yes, that little Tyrogue. I'll have to avoid any others that may come in. As I've read, that family will only accept Trainers who have the spirit to match their own. But he should serve you well."

"I would hope so." She looked at the receptionist. "I came in with two others, Steven and Kyle Stone. Can you tell them I'm in here if they're waiting?"

"They're still out, I believe. I'll inform them when they return."

Nurse Joy wrapped a cast around Kiri's leg, then sent her off with a bottle of nutrient pills to help her bone heal. She sat in the lobby and read a preview magazine of what Pokemon might be in the Safari Zone. After fifteen minutes, Kyle and Steven came out with a blue feline who seemed a bit wary of his new Trainer's enthusiasm. The Pokemon was rounded in body form and had a yellow star on the tip of his tail.

"Hi, kid," Kiri called. "Whatcha got?"

"I've got a Shinx," he said proudly. "He's from Sinnoh and he's electric, and I named him Berrix cause I found him under a berry bush."

"What happened to your leg?" Steven asked. "You okay?"

"A Tyrogue smashed my leg; he was testing my spirit, I suppose. I caught him, so that's good."

He smiled. "Ah. I've had one that wanted to test me as well. I was just going to drop you off where I picked you up, but I might as well take you home in this case."

"Yeah, thanks."

They went back to Kyle's home first, because it was getting late for him to be out. Then Steven flew them to Petalburg. Norman answered the door. "Hi kids. What happened to your leg?"

"It got busted by a Safari Zone Tyrogue," she said. "You can blame him for taking me there."

"Hey!" Steven protested.

Norman gave him a mischievous look. "Is that so?"

"Okay, so I was responsible for her being there."

"Then it's fine; that sort of thing happens. Would you like to join us for dinner, Steven? It's just soup and grilled cheese, but we always welcome a guest."

"If it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all. Hey hon, we've got a couple of extras."

"Sure thing. Good evening Steven."

They shared a simple but lively dinner, and then Steven excused himself to go back to his home in Mossdeep. "So this summer's journey is over," Norman told Kiri when they were alone. "How'd everything go?"

She smiled. "It was great. I met all sorts of people and got an interesting group of Pokemon. There's some things I didn't get to do, but there's always next summer."

"You followed through on the mission I gave you. And for that, good work. What've you got your eye on for next year?"

"You know: the Championship!"

* * *

Kiri brought out all seven of her Pokemon. "Okay, everyone, Billina's going to withdraw from the active party."

"Why?" Samba asked.

"I have more important duties as Guardian," Billina answered.

"And she's got a bad foot right now," Honey said. "You wouldn't want to fight like that, would you?"

"Right, okay."

"We'll be fine," Billina said, thinking of Kiri's broken leg too.

"Also, I have to start up school again. This means that we're going to spend some time here training up for next year, when I have time after schoolwork. Choora, Samba, I think you're okay, so you'll just help out with Honey, Fred, and Mach. We have three more badges to aim for, and then the Championship match against Vincent, probably. Are you all up for this?"

"Why am I even in this discussion?" the Castform muttered.

"Finally, I get some action," Fred added.

"I'm ready to roll," Mach said.

Honey, who'd not seen Mach until this point, squealed. "Oh, you're cute! Can I hug you?"

"Hey, I'm a tough guy," the Tyrogue said.

"Huggy time!" the Smoochum replied and ran over, tripping just before reaching him.

"Ack!" Mach jumped up onto Kiri's wheelchair. "Keep that chick away from me."

Honey giggled.

"I know exactly how you feel," Fred said to Mach.

Choora spent a moment translating all that. Kiri laughed. "Let's not intimidate each other. We have a lot of ground to cover."

* * *

_Pokenav Extras_

Pokemon

Shocks (Magneton)  
Trainer: Wattson  
Team: 6th and 7th Tiers  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: caring for others  
Dislikes: latex

Fred (Magnemite)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Hardy  
Likes: spelling  
Dislikes: nearly anything girly

Sandy (Trapinch)  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Curious  
Likes: learning  
Dislikes: being startled

Mach (Tyrogue)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Adamant  
Likes: fighting  
Dislikes: hugs

_Author's Note_

Magnemites?: A lot of authors I see around here don't use multiples of one evolution line. It makes sense, as there's many different Pokemon to choose from. So why did I use Bit and Fred in my main teams, especially when I hardly use them in-game? Bit is canon to games (Wally has a Magneton in his second battle), while Fred fits in with Kiri's team. And they're two very different characters.

_A chapter of mostly picking up new Pokemon for the main characters. It works. Plus, I like exploring how individuals of the same species of Pokemon can differ._ _2016 note – I use Magnemites a lot in the games now! Heh, that's a funny thing of going back to these old stories, I can see how differently I played and wrote._


	20. Trace Attraction

September

Kiri was battling a classmate with Fred. Billina kept a partial eye on her; she was fighting a Trainer, so the danger was not as great. With that in mind, the Blaziken worked with Mach as a fellow fighter. Her ankle was whole again, so she needed to train herself back up. And since the Tyrogue was taking over part of her role on the team, she had to make sure that he could fill in.

"Keep your mind focused," she said. "You will have trouble with psychics as they can disrupt this, but do what you can to keep your thoughts from wandering in battle."

Technically, they were the same age, but the Tyrogue already had great respect for the Guardian. "Right, it is you and your opponent. It doesn't matter if they were friend or foe before. It's a battle."

"Yes. Let's try this again."

"I'll do it." He focused on the spell Billina was teaching him, Blaze Kick. He went to activate it, kicking an imaginary foe. The kick worked and the fire worked, but they didn't work at the same time. "Ah drat."

She rubbed her beak. "This may not be something you can learn."

"But it's a great move. You think it'll work if I punch instead?"

"It wouldn't be Blaze Kick, but if you'd like to try, go ahead."

"Alright, let's see." He thought of the spell again, shifting it a little. When he punched the air, a flash of fire appeared in front of his fist, setting a falling leaf on fire. "That's it!"

"That's great. I think I'll stick with the kick, though."

Nearby, Choora and Honey were doing something similar, only they were watching the other two. "Okay, you got it?"

Honey put her hands over her mouth, trying not to giggle. "Yeah!"

"Then go for it."

After waiting for the Blaziken and the Tyrogue to be practicing kicks again, Honey rushed out of the bush the two psychics were hiding in. "Gimme kissie!"

Mach turned to glare at her, but got wide eyes instead. "AAAAHH! Get away from me!" He ran off and smacked into a Reflect Choora had put up. "Oooog..."

The Smoochum giggled and put her hands on his shoulders. "Gotcha."

"Get away!" he repeated, wildly throwing another Fire Punch. He missed, but the sight of fire was enough to make Honey squeal and stumble back.

A huge wave of water came out of the nearby pond and drenched all four of them. Samba popped out on the shore. "No, I gotcha!"

Kiri looked back at the group and called, "If you guys get hurt horsing around back there, it's your own fault."

"But I'm soaked," Billina said pitifully. "I hate being wet."

Samba ducked down so only his eyes and lilypad were above water. "Sorry, Billina," he bubbled.

The Castform watched from nearby. While it scowled whenever anyone looked at it, it was feeling jealous of the others for having such fun.

* * *

Kiri and her mother were out working in their garden. The Mage was making small Cuts on old vines, refining her control over the spell. Their chatter was interrupted, though, by a door slamming next door. It opened again. "Wally, what is it?" Bethany said, puzzled, concerned, and a little upset.

"You don't even care about the real problem," Wally said spitefully before running off.

"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good," Kiri said.

"Let's go see." Samantha put down her shears and walked over to their neighbor's yard. "What's wrong, Beth?"

"Oh, I don't know, Sam," she replied, wringing her hands. "He came back upset about a girl, but then got angry at me. I'm not sure why." She sighed.

"We'll see if we can talk to him."

"Thanks."

Kiri and Samantha tracked Wally to a fairly secluded area in the woods by the pond. He looked slightly mad, but more concerned with Amigo. He held the Kirlia tightly while he wept on his shoulders, trembling some. A Trapinch was sitting by them; she looked over when the two approached.

"What's wrong with Amigo?" Kiri asked.

"It looks like something terrible happened to him," Samantha added. "May we join you?"

"Sure, thanks," Wally mumbled. He patted Amigo, then said, "It was some stupid girl and her stupid Skitty. It had been a while since I trained with him, so I chose him to fight."

...  
(earlier that day, 09/29)

She had strawberry red hair and a sunny yellow dress. She squealed when Amigo came out. "Aw, he's adorable."

'He does seem cuter than usual,' Wally thought, then added, 'Wait, why am I noticing this now?'

The girl smiled impishly. "But we'll still beat you. Skitty, hit 'im!"

"Use Psywave," Wally ordered.

The pink Skitty got in the first shot, hopping over and smacking Amigo in the head. Then, somehow, the kitten looked woozy even though Psywave hadn't gone off yet. "Whoa, hey, you are cute," she said. "As cute as me, even!"

Amigo cast his spell, ignoring the Skitty's odd words. A wave of rainbow light struck the kitten, confusing it even more.

"Hit 'im harder."

The Skitty giggled. "Yay!" She hopped around in a small circle, casting a spell that set off a cloud of pink and red hearts. It hit Amigo hard.

"Huh, what's... going on?" he asked hazily. The Kirlia blinked, then looked at the Skitty. Instantly, he was in love with her as well. "Oh, wow you are... you're just too cute for words!"

"Aw, you're so sweet." She batted her eyes and smiled at him.

Amigo smiled back.

"Amigo, what's going on?" Wally asked.

"Skitty?" The girl knelt by her Pokemon. "Hey Skitty, snap out of it."

"I never want to be far from you," the Skitty said.

"Yeah, never."

"Ooo, they've somehow cast Attract on each other," the girl said. "They won't fight now, just stare at each other until they snap out of it."

Wally puzzled over that. "He's never cast something like that before. How long does it take to wear off?"

She brushed off a nearby rock and sat on it. "It could be a few hours."

Since that was so, he sat by her and talked. Her name was Linda and she was from Mauville. She was starting off as a Coordinator, not a Trainer. However, battling contest Pokemon was necessary; it lessened any stage fright they might have. Her Skitty had already won the Beginner's Rank Cuteness Contest, so they were preparing to go to Fallarbor.

In the meantime, Skitty and Amigo continued to sweet talk each other. The Kirlia took some grasses and weaved them into a little crown, which he placed over one of Skitty's ears. She giggled and hopped all around him. She was the first to snap out of the Attract spell. When she did, she went up to her Coordinator and put a paw on her leg.

"Okay, sweetheart," Linda said. "Good luck Wally; nice meeting you." Then she gave him a kiss and ran off to Mauville.

Wally was shocked that a girl would kiss him out of the blue, enough so that he didn't notice she was gone until Amigo tried to run after them. "Wait!" he called. Then his shoulders slumped. 'She's gone.'

"That was one odd pair," Wally replied, dazed himself. "Well, let's go back into town; it's getting late."

'Maybe she'll be there,' Amigo said telepathically. 'She was so sweet; wasn't she wonderful? Maybe I ought to tell that girl she should name Skitty properly, with a lovely name to match her soul.'

"Maybe. Some people nickname Pokemon, others don't."

Amigo hardly noticed what Wally was saying. 'I feel so weird and wonderful, a little mixed-up, but wonderfully happy. My mind says something's wrong, something's strange, but my heart says it's right and strange and great! And my heart is strongest; they'll come with us, right? We love each other, we should be together. You're gonna ask to travel with them, right?'

"I could," Wally replied, but was hoping that the Attract spell would wear off on their way back to Mauville.

It didn't work out that way. Amigo kept chattering away in his happy pink cloud, getting more excited as he came closer to where the center of his attention lived. When they got to Mauville, they spotted Linda and her Skitty in the center of town. Linda was kissing some other boy who was holding her close and the Skitty was merrily bounding on and off the back of a Zigzagoon.

Wally felt a tinge of hurt and jealousy. For a moment, he contemplated interrupting the couple. But really, it wouldn't be worth anything. Linda had probably just been teasing him.

On the other hand, Amigo began bawling.

...

"I was confused about what to do, so I came home," Wally told Kiri and Samantha. "It was okay at first, but Mom didn't even ask about Amigo, even though I've been holding him and he's been crying the whole time. I got annoyed at that, and then she had to mistake him for a girl. I mean, I've had Amigo for three months now, she should know that he's a boy."

"I could understand if she's never met him," Kiri agreed, "but really, she should."

"Most Pokemon get over a simple Attraction like that," Samantha mused, avoiding the touchier subject of her friend's mistake. "But he might have trouble because his kind is strong with their emotions and hearts, so something that manipulates that hits them harder."

"Yeah." Amigo had calmed down by this point, so Wally stroked his head. "I know, it was bad of that Skitty to cut you off like that."

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. 'I'm sorry, I've... been selfish today.'

"It's okay, Amigo. I don't consider it selfish of you." Wally looked over at Samantha. "Is it okay for me to stay with you guys a few days, Mrs. Brown? Just so I can be with Amigo."

She nodded. "Of course you may. I'll see if I can't convince your mother that she's made a big mistake."

"Okay, thanks."

* * *

October

Norman snapped his fingers, getting his Spinda's attention. "Pound."

"Use Powder Snow," Kiri told Honey.

The Spinda and the Smoochum were equally matched in inexperience, which was why neither side cared about winning or losing. Both young Pokemon obeyed and got hurt. "Owie," Honey said.

"Are you trying to give me frostbite?" Spinda asked.

"Wimps," the Castform muttered from the side.

"Stand your ground," Kiri said in encouragement. "Try it again."

"You'll both have to face tougher opponents in the future," Norman added.

"I dunno, she's pretty cold," Spinda replied.

Honey stomped a foot down. "What? No, I'm cute! Kiss me!"

"I'd rather not." His hazy eyes showed no signs of being affected by her magic.

"Wrong spell," Choora chided.

"Oops, sorry." She cast Powder Snow at the Spinda, but her aim was off.

There was a white flicker of a Fly spell, then Steven and Prinny arrived in Petalburg Woods. "Ah, good afternoon. Am I interrupting something?"

"Nothing much, just training up some young ones," Norman said. "Were you looking for us?"

He nodded. "Yes, I've got some bad news. The two Creation Play cultists, Archie and Maxie, have escaped from prison. Drake thought you both should know."

"I see. Thank him for us. But why'd he send you instead of the new Champion?"

Steven shrugged. "Nobody knows where that kid is right now. I know he doesn't have to do this kind of thing, relaying messages, taking parcels, or assisting those the League has an eye on. Still, it's not a good show of character to avoid it."

"Did the police ever figure out what they were up to at the ceremonies?" Kiri asked.

"Do you mind?" he asked Norman first.

"I think it's fine." He came by and patted her shoulder. "They're looking to cause a war between the three Hoenn Guardians. The relationship between Rayquaza, Groudon, and Kyogre has never been that great, but for the sake of this region, they tolerate each other. However, Rayquaza's sanctuary, Sky Tower, has been cursed with black flames for a couple of months now, and then CCP had to interrupt the ceremonies for the other two."

"A civil war between those three would be devastating to Hoenn," Steven added. "Not only that, but Lokire grows stronger in such circumstances. If the devil establishes a base of chaos here, he would become extremely difficult to defeat."

"That sounds really scary," Honey said, clutching onto Kiri's wheelchair.

"He's gone and killed everyone!" the Castform shrieked, then bolted past Steven.

"Whoa, hold on there," Norman said, casting a shield bubble around it. "You just chill out in there."

"What's your problem?" Spinda asked.

It continued fussing and hit itself against the shield. "I said stop it! Leave me alone!"

"Is it going to hurt itself doing that?" Kiri asked.

"It shouldn't," he answered. "But I'd worry if it keeps this up too long."

'She's got her mind on troubling things,' Choora said.

"She?" Kiri asked, looking at her Kadabra.

Choora put her hand to her chin, then said, 'I could show you what she is beginning to recall.'

She nodded. "Okay." Then she looked at her Dad. "She's going to show me what the Castform can remember."

"Be careful, sport," he advised. "I'm not sure how far Shadow magic can pass. We'll pull you out if you get touched."

"Good. I'm ready."

...?

She stopped her rapid descent and giggled. It was such fun, being sent into the atmosphere. She had the readings she was supposed to get, but had landed some distance from home. Skimming along the ground, she followed her homing instinct to return.

She spotted a white blur, but missed the meaning of it until the Linoone crashed into her. She squealed and hit a thorn bush. The larger Pokemon stumbled into a mud puddle.

...and was bloody with battle wounds.

She extracted herself from the bush, tears in her eyes. "Ow, that hurt," she said.

The mud covered Linoone jumped around and growled. "How dare you get in my way!"

"I didn't mean to," she replied. She was used to a peaceful controlled environment in the Institute.

...a nice little safety bubble, but not the real world.

This Linoone didn't care. "You'll pay for getting me muddy." He brought out his claws and rushed at her.

The force of his attack tossed her back towards the thorn bush. "Ow, hey! Cut it out."

"Defend yourself." He lunged again.

...and killed...

A blast of shining leaves knocked the Linoone out of his attack. They had come from a Roselia of violet and black petals. "Don't attack the innocents," he said sternly.

The Linoone turned to him. "You keep out of this. It has nothing to do with you."

"So you think." He cast Magical Leaf at the Linoone again, striking him in the head.

"Why you..." he narrowed his eyes, but then saw the Roselia's determination. The Linoone snorted, then rushed away.

"Thorn!" she cried, darting over to him. "That was scary! I didn't do anything, but he..."

He hugged her gently; his spicy but sweet scent calmed her greatly. "You're okay now, little Hope. Come, let's go back home."

...where destruction lies.

...where I lie.

A man in a white lab coat patted her head. "Okay Hope, it's your turn."

"I'll do good!" she cheered as he led her outside.

"Take care, little one," Thorn said. "I hope this shall be better than last time."

"I'll be more careful," Hope promised him.

...the death of all you love comes tonight.

This time upon return, Hope landed too far south in the Rainforest. She floated well above the ground. Most of the aerial Pokemon didn't consider the Castforms to be a threat or food. If she kept high, she should be safe.

But then she saw the waterfall and couldn't resist playing in the falling water for a bit. Hope darted in and out, giggling the whole while. She completely missed the white masked humans who captured her.

...my followers.

They were surrounding her. Two males, one with blue hair, the other red, and two females had her captive. They were chanting something to the 'elder pokemon who was betrayed'. Hope didn't understand what they were chanting about, but she did understand what it was doing to her. One line would hurt her, far deeper than the Linoone had. The following line would heal her back to health. And then it would hurt, then heal, over and over again.

And images came to her, of war, of chaos, of betrayal, of torture, of hatred... and of a being who thrived on the suffering caused by those terrible things. A being who would offer you exactly what you wanted, but for a damning price. There was a devil Pokemon.

...true.

One image she got terrified her. She saw her siblings dead. She saw Thorn dead. And she saw the man who created her dead. The image was so convincing that she began to fear that it was true.

"Let me go!" she cried. "I want to go home."

"Do you want this to end?"

"Yes!"

"So be it."

And the devil sealed her heart so that no pain could touch her.

...

(Present, 10/11)

Kiri's mind came back to the present moment. She cast Sweet Scent over the Castform. "Hope, calm down. Come here."

"Huh? You know my name?" Once Norman banished the shield bubble, she drifted over, trembling.

"I told her," Choora explained.

"Did you find out what happened to her?" Norman asked.

Kiri nodded. "There were some people, including the two men we saw at the Lavaridge ceremony. They summoned a devil, one they called an elder Pokemon that was betrayed."

"That's an odd way to put it." Norman closed his eyes, thinking. "That could only be Lokire."

Kiri looked back to Hope. "Your curse is nearly gone."

Steven said, "That's true. You might be able to pray for her now."

"Okay. I've done prayers before to get my Blaziken."

"Hmm, yes, but this will be more difficult than evolving a Guardian. Tell you what: you work with her and we'll back you up if needed."

"Sure, thanks."

"Yes, summoning Celebii is a difficult task," Norman said. He put his hand on Kiri's right shoulder; Steven did so with her left.

Kiri coaxed Hope into coming closer, then put her hands on the Castform. It took longer for her to focus, because what Shadow energy remained kept distracting her. But in time she had her focus and her magic ready.

"Guardian of the future, Celebii, please be with us. I bring to you a cursed Castform who needs her heart purified. Please reach back and restore her soul."

At that point, a strong force developed and grabbed her. The mana required for the prayer was beyond her limit. But Steven and her Dad were nearby. Their contact allowed Kiri to draw on their mana as well, easing the choked feeling that had come over her. Billina summoned herself in case she needed protecting.

There was a popping sound and a fairy-like spirit appeared before them. She had a small body with two long ribbon tails and a large head with a five pointed hat. "Hello there."

"Jirachi?" Norman asked. "Why have you come in response to Celebii's summoning?"

Jirachi hovered closer to them. "Celebii can't respond to summons at this point in time. His condition depends on the condition of the future, and right now, some bad choices were made."

"Are things that hopeless?" Steven asked, worried.

She chuckled. "Not quite. The future isn't set in stone. Every choice you make today affects what happens tomorrow. While there are people still loyal to Hoenn, there is hope." She pointed to Steven. "You especially need to remember that."

"Okay," he replied. "But we called Celebii to heal this Castform, Hope."

"What're you gonna do to me now?" she asked suspiciously.

"I can fix that," Jirachi said. Then she switched languages. "Don't fear, little one. I will set your heart free." She tapped the Castform with a powerful blessing.

"But... but what really happened?" Confused, Hope burst into tears. At the same time, the sky burst with rain. It was a depressing gray sort of rain.

"She still needs time to heal before she can return home," Jirachi told Kiri. "But she is free now."

"Good. Thank you, Jirachi."

"Be careful, dear Mage." She nodded, then telepathically added, 'Your path draws you dangerously close to Lokire. But if you move away in fear, the secret that binds you and your two friends will swallow them whole.'

"O-okay," Kiri replied.

"Then goodbye, for now." Jirachi disappeared.

"Did she tell you something too?" Steven asked, his face a color paler.

"I wouldn't ignore the advice of an immortal," Norman told both of them. "Especially not something told to you in secret."

* * *

"I haven't seen you in a while," a voice called, shakily.

Wally stood up from the grasses, where he had been observing wild Pokemon. Vincent was leaning on a tree in his original appearance. Dark rings hung behind his glasses. "Vincent? What's wrong with you? You look really sick."

"I'm just tired." He didn't sound convincing, especially as he rubbed his forehead. "How are you doing on your League Challenge?"

As much as he didn't want to sound unconcerned for him, it was hard not to be excited about that. "I've got six badges now, with just Mossdeep and Sootopolis to go. I can hardly believe it, but I might be able to reach Ever Grande by the end of the year. Of course, Amigo's awesome,"

'I try,' the Kirlia said shyly.

"And my other three are really strong as well. I was deciding on how to fill out my team. It's pretty good, with Kirlia, Swablu, Magneton, and Vibrava."

"Oh. You..." He tilted his head in thought. "You'll want a sea-faring Pokemon to reach the last two Gyms, or else evolve Swablu so he can fly you there. A Vibrava can't manage anything more than short flights, certainly not with a person along."

"Yeah, I've thought of that, but I don't know. Swablu's pretty close to evolving, so I'll see if I can manage with him. I've been thinking about a Roselia, except I'm not sure where to find them."

Amigo looked up at him and tugged on his shirt. 'And a Skitty.'

Wally looked at him, puzzled. "You want me to get a Skitty?"

He nodded. 'It's shown me that I have a weakness. I would like to work on that, if it's fine with you.'

"I guess so. Then that would be it. A Roselia and a Skitty."

Vincent pulled out his black Pokedex. "I'm sure I've seen them... yeah, here you go." He let Wally look over his shoulder. "Roselias live outside of Verdanturf and are best found on sunny days. Skitties... lives northeast of Rustboro. But good luck finding it; they're only seen on occasion."

"I see. Thanks a lot. It'll be great when Birch has the public version out, won't it?"

"It would," Vincent said, looking over his right arm. "I haven't heard from him since."

"That's too bad." He paused, then added, "You sure you're okay? You can travel with me for a bit, right? You only have to be in Ever Grande on the weekends for challenges, when I have to be at the Ranch."

"No, it's okay..."

'You are not well,' Amigo said curtly. 'The less you tell us, the more worried we are. And we can't help you if we don't know what's wrong.'

"Amigo," Wally chided softly.

'Well you're not that far from saying the same thing,' he replied so that Vincent didn't hear.

"I'm not sure what is wrong," Vincent said. "I'm... not sure of anything. When is today?"

"Today? It's the twenty-third of October."

"October." He shook his head. "What happened to September?"

"You don't remember?"

"No, I... it started in Mauville, my first Gym battle. I blanked out for a bit; I still can't remember half of that battle. I can't remember most of my battles."

"What about the one we had in July? Where Kiri fought with me."

"Sort of, but it's hazy. It was only a few seconds, a minute at most, so I didn't think it was important enough to tell you before. But then I started losing hours... days... and September. I... I think you wrote and I wrote back, but then, no memories."

"Like Victor is a different personality?"

'He is.'

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, if Amigo says so... it must be so. Victor's someone else, not me. I'm not sure who he is, though."

"Kiri says the Gym Leaders keep referring to you as a strange Mage."

There was a flicker of blue and gray as Missingno appeared. It took a second for it to form into its Feraligator disguise. "Vincent, there you are. What happened? Were you kidnapped?"

"No, I just wanted to talk to Wally, and then here I was."

"You can't be reckless. I know you're brave for helping me, but with the cult giving you death threats, you shouldn't be wandering off."

"Death threats?" Wally asked. "They're out to kill you now?"

Vincent shifted his body so that he was standing on his own; somehow it changed his entire demeanor, made it colder and more distant. "They think I'm corrupting Missingno from its purpose under Lokire. Absurd, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Wally said, feeling intimidated.

'You aren't Vincent anymore,' Amigo lashed out. 'Go away.'

"What's gotten into you today?" Wally picked the Kirlia up. "You're acting odd too."

"I should get back to Ever Grande," Victor said. "Sorry about that, Missingno. Let's go."

"Okay. You both take care." They vanished.

'You wanted to say that too,' Amigo pointed out. 'That's part of what made you feel imprisoned back at home.'

"What should we do about Vincent, though?"

'That, I don't know. Sorry.'

"I know one thing, though. I don't trust Missingno that much anymore." He sighed. "He's changed Vincent too much and made Victor take over."

* * *

Missingno touched Victor on the shoulder. "You know how that Kirlia's race is. He was speaking things Wally wouldn't say on his own."

"I know," Victor said. "As strong as they are, it's careless to grow close to one of them."

Vincent felt confused and hurt.

* * *

_Pokenav Extras_

Legends

Celebii: The Guardian of the Future, Celebii is something of an enigma. He appears when there is a bright future, no matter how bleak the present is. But when the future is troubled, he will not appear no matter how peaceful the present seems. It is not certain if Celebii is from the future or if he is affected by the general flow of history. It is known that a Shadow curse can be broken if it is weakened, then the victim brought to a site touched by Celebii. These sites are often within forests or other areas dense with trees.

Jirachi: The Wishmaker, Jirachi is elusive and rarely seen. She exists primarily in spirit form, although at certain times marked by a mystic comet, she exists in physical form. Jirachi has the power to grant any wish. However, she is strict in what wishes she will or will not grant. Those who have encountered her say that she is quite playful and laughs easily.

_Aura abilities_

General: Aura abilities are a talent innate to particular species of Pokemon. These are powers that work automatically, regardless of any effort for or against it. Anyone who works with Pokemon needs to understand auras in order to plan around their effects.

Trace: Generally found within the Ralts family. Mimics aura of other Pokemon. The mimicry is not always accurate, though.

Cute Charm: Found with several Pokemon lines. Inflicts infatuation upon physical attack. Apparently it evolved as a way to give manipulative Pokemon a way to distract predators, by tricking them into allowing the user to get away.

Synchronize: Found especially in Psychic lines. When user is inflicted with a status effect, the aura causes the opponent to be inflicted with that same status effect.

_Author's Note_

Abilities: Yeah, I know that you probably know what these do. But just in case, I added those explanations. By the way, have you ever had one of those battles with a Trace + Cute Charm + Attract stall? I certainly have...

_Ah, the joys of training up a Ralts, lol. I usually end up with a Trace Ralts just catching the first one I can, but last time I actually got a Synchronize Ralts. Trace is more fun._


	21. Becoming an Avid Listener

November

Wally was making terrific progress. He had a Pokemon team that he loved; they loved or were growing to love him. Along with the Swablu (now an Altaria), the Magneton, and Sandy the Vibrava, he had a Roselia and a Skitty. They put forth their best efforts in battle and he treated them well, making sure they were happy. His parents still sent him long letters of advice, but he didn't follow them unless it was something he felt comfortable with.

With the help of Altaria, he spent weekdays on the League Challenge and weekends volunteering at the Fortree Ranch. The workers there liked him and were willing to answer any question he had, even if he felt it was a dumb one. And unlike his parents, they didn't pressure him with unwanted advice or plans.

One Friday evening as he came in, he heard a commotion in the healing area. Something was making a lot of splashing and crashing. He walked into the hall. "Is something wrong?"

"Hello Wally," Nurse Joy said. The elf sounded shaken. "I am having some trouble with a patient."

"What is it?"

She put her hand on her chest. "If you wish to help, I will heal you of any damage done. One of the Sharpedo from our lake has been badly injured. He is frightened and attacks anything that comes close. Also, as with his kind, he cannot stop swimming or he will be in greater danger."

A Sharpedo. He had heard of them, the great gray fish of Hoenn who had rough scales and sharp teeth. They had frightened him just at the image before. But this one was hurt, so it needed help. "Okay. What should I do?"

She looked calm again as she pulled a pair of gloves out of thin air. "These will protect your hands. If you can stroke his head between his eyes, that usually calms them down. But you may wish to call your Kirlia to judge if it is safe."

"Sure." He pulled of Amigo's ball and released him, telling him what was going on as they went back to the holding tank for injured fish.

'I will help quiet this fish,' he said.

The Sharpedo was in a tank of moving water, so he could safely swim in place. A piece of metal was stuck in his left side, sticking out two inches. As they approached slowly, he watched them.

'I will see if he will talk,' Amigo said. He came closer. "Pokemon of the sea, would you listen?"

"What do you want?" he growled. "If you're here to hurt me too, I'll rip you to shreds."

"No. We're here to remove what harms you."

"You can't prove that."

"We come with one of the elves; we know they always are there to heal. It is their duty."

"Then what are you two here for?"

"We are here to assist."

"Fine, but if it hurts, you're getting hurt."

'I've got him to open up some,' Amigo related, which Wally told Joy.

"Good, thank you." She went to work.

Wally put the gloves on, then came up to the tank. After Amigo nodded, he reached in and began petting the Sharpedo. "This won't take long," he said in a soothing voice. "Brace yourself."

Joy pulled out the metal shard, then immediately put a healing spell over the wound. The Sharpedo glanced between them, but didn't fight back again. After a few minutes, he was whole again. A pair of gray scales came off in Wally's gloves. They looked interesting, so he stuck them in his pocket. Amigo was pleased enough that he got a gold aura around him.

"Good work," Joy said. "You have a real talent for calming nervous Pokemon and understanding them."

"Amigo helps me, and I don't want to scare anyone. Especially not an injured Pokemon."

The elf nodded. "I still think you ought to find a way to develop your talent. I wish to thank you both for helping me. I will allow your Kirlia to evolve."

'Now?' Amigo asked, puzzled.

"You have the aura sign," Wally pointed out.

'But I don't feel it's time...' he frowned in puzzlement.

"It is not the right time," Joy agreed. "Within his race, the males are particular about always and only evolving at dawn. It is their tradition."

"Oh. That's odd."

'Not really. The rising sun is very important to us.'

"Until then, there is something you both must consider." She twisted her hand and made an encyclopedia volume appear. "Here."

Wally opened the encyclopedia to an entry on the Ralts family. He sat down to skim the article; Amigo got up on the sofa's arm and looked as well. A row of pictures pointed out the issue. "The males have two forms they can evolve into?"

Joy sat on the couch beside them. "Yes. The default is the same as the females, a Gardevoir, which is a strong Psychic that relies on spells and prefers to fight defensively. A Gardevoir has vivid precognitions and a greater degree of emotional empathy. But there is also the form exclusive to males, the Gallade. A Gallade prefers to fight offensively and is more capable of physical skills. He is much stronger physically than a Gardevoir, but has a weaker precognition and empathy. You must chose which path to take, Kirlia, before dawn comes, for I will have to know which way to guide you."

* * *

Amigo was outside with his teammates while Wally was checking up on some of the Ranch Pokemon. It was a tough decision ahead of him. He wasn't sure which way was right. There were some obvious advantages to choosing the male form, especially others no longer mistaking him for a female. But there were reasons to choose the other path too.

Bit crackled as he hovered nearby. "Hey."

Amigo looked up at him. "What is it?"

"You're a bad leader."

The Roselia, who refused to acknowledge any nickname, snickered.

"But I'm not the leader," Amigo said. "Wally is our Trainer and leader."

The Magneton lowered himself. "But you're the first Pokemon he caught."

"Yes, I am."

"So then you're our leader. Except you're horrible at it."

"Oh don't be mean," Altaria said, lifting his head up from preening. "Amigo's a good listener."

"He's really sentimental," Roselia countered, fussing with her red rose hand. "Wally's not much better. It's okay, I guess, but where's the drive to win?"

Altaria whistled, indicated that he didn't agree. "He's concerned for us; how can that be a bad thing?"

Amigo nodded. "Yes, he wants to make sure that we can be our best. Certainly you wouldn't want to be with someone obsessed with battling."

"We'd get powerful more quickly," Bit said.

Right, he did just care for battling. Amigo shook his head. "But there's more to life than just being powerful."

"Only suckers and weaklings say that," Bit retorted, causing Roselia to laugh again.

"Oh, can't you consider what other people might think?" the Kirlia snapped, then teleported off a short ways.

He could hear them laughing again. Amigo sighed. He really had to work on restraining those outbursts of anger. It wasn't polite for him to be acting that way. Still, sometimes he could hardly keep from lashing out.

Before long, Altaria landed by him. "There you are."

"Sorry about that."

The bird bumped his head in a friendly manner. "No need to be sorry to me. They're not very good at being team players."

"You're right." He put his hand to his cheek. "Altaria, do you think I'm a bad leader?"

"No. Like I said, you listen and are patient. At least, more patient than them."

"Thanks. I could try harder at it, I guess, but that would mean finding some way to strengthen our team's unity."

"I'll help you, and I'm sure Sandy will too. She's a nice Pokemon." He tilted his head. "I'm not so sure about Meg, though, cause she always seems scatterbrained."

Amigo nodded. The Skitty was easily distracted and had not been helpful in working out his weakness to attraction magic. Would his evolved form be able to handle that better?

"What's the matter?" Altaria asked. "You're scatterbrained today too. You should be happy that you're close to evolving."

"I am, but I've got to figure out what I want to evolve into."

He chirped. "Whoa, you get a choice? That's awesome."

"I suppose. I'm not sure which one would be better." He telepathically sent the images he'd seen in the book to Altaria.

The bird considered. "Huh. Well, it's just my thoughts, but..."

"What is it?"

"We're gonna be working here with Wally, right? And many of the Pokemon around here are like I was, scared of stuff even if it's nonsense. I think the Gallade is rather intimidating with those blades."

"They would be retractable, I'm certain of that."

"It's still intimidating to Pokemon that would be scared of the smallest things. I mean, I'm sure both forms are really powerful, but I would have been more comfortable being around a Gardevoir than a Gallade."

"That is something else to consider. I have until dawn; I think I'll know by then."

* * *

Amigo was sitting by the window when Wally woke up. "Are you ready?"

'Yes.' He turned from watching the predawn light. 'I want to be a Gardevoir, if it's all right with you.'

Wally patted his head. "It's what you want to do. I know you've been thinking about it."

'I have. Some of the others wanted me to be more aggressive, but Altaria pointed out that while working here, I might want to be more approachable. But it was something else that made the choice for me.'

He checked his uniform, as he had agreed to work an early shift. "What was that?"

'I must have drifted off to sleep for a bit, because someone spoke to me. It said something strange. Go one way, he won't speak. Go one way, he will speak. Whatever he does, it splits the path of destiny.'

"That sounds kind of like what Darkrai was talking about, when he told Steven and I that a rock would fall across our paths, but we could switch rocks, and therefore destinies."

Amigo nodded. 'Something in the future depends on whether I'm a Gardevoir or a Gallade. I think the Gardevoir is the better choice.'

"We'll never really know, so we have to go with what we've chosen. Okay. Let's go to the nurse's station."

* * *

As Wally left the Mossdeep Gym with his seventh badge, the twin Leaders came after him. "Wait a moment," Liza said.

"We just thought of something," Tate went on.

"What is it?" Wally didn't want to say it, but the twinspeak was kind of spooky.

"You have one of the psychic gifts," Liza started.

"A knack for understanding and listening,"

"To the point of knowing a Pokemon even without your Gardevoir."

"But if you truly want to know what Pokemon say,"

"You'll need some help."

"I could know what Pokemon are actually saying?" Wally asked.

"Certainly, with a certain charm."

"You have two scales from a Sharpedo?"

"Oh, yes." He pulled them out of his bag. "I was helping heal one that was scared."

"That is a good start," Tate said.

"Now you need a few other items to make a pair of earrings."

"Fragments of the shell on a wild Bagon's forehead, enough to make small circles within those,"

"Two pearls from a Grumpig, given willingly by the Pokemon."

"And two hairs from a Gardevoir."

"That one should be simple."

Wally nodded. "Yeah. So I have to find a wild Bagon and a Grumpig."

Tate pulled a pen out of his pocket and twirled it. "We'll send you the instructions in a few days, but go to a jeweler, most likely in Lilycove, and have them make a set of earrings with them."

"Then bring them back here and we will help you enchant them."

"Then when you have them pierced into your ears,"

"You'll know exactly what Pokemon say to each other."

"Great, thanks! I'll get to work on that."

"Good luck," the twins said, then went back inside.

* * *

Since he managed the twins well enough, Wally went to Sootopolis the next day and took the underwater ferry to reach the hidden town. The fight against Wallace was tough, but he earned the badge. As he came out of the Pokecenter, he found a Grumpig.

There were three grassy fields in the dormant volcano where the sun shone through. On the field below the Pokecenter, an artist was absorbed in painting. His Grumpig had wandered off; she looked bored as she sat in the grass and plucked it. She was pretty in her own way, with black skin that grew black pearls. Carefully, Wally approached her. "Hi."

The Grumpig looked up at him. 'What?'

He sat by her. "I just thought you looked bored and decided to give you some company. Is that your Trainer?"

She sighed. 'Yes. I like him, but he's going to be like that for hours. Sometimes he paints me; I don't mind that. But there'll be nothing for me to do today.'

"I'm Wally. I have to wait another day before I can do anything, so I don't have anything to do either."

'Well thanks for talking to me. He calls me Cassie.'

Wally opened his bag and pulled out a green ball. "Want to play catch?"

She twitched her nose. 'Sure.'

Cassie played and talked with him for a good hour, until the sun's light began to climb the inner wall. "I'd better go check into the center and talk with my own Pokemon," he told her, putting the ball away.

'Okay, Wally. What will you be doing?'

"Actually, I'm looking to make a pair of enchanted earrings, so I can listen to all Pokemon."

'Are you sure you want that? Pokemon vary widely in intelligence and temper. Some of the others will talk way over your head, while others repeat mindless chatter endlessly.'

"I know, but I've always wanted to be able to talk like this with any Pokemon, psychic or not."

She tapped her hoof on the ground. 'You are a nice person. Okay, here.' She plucked off two small pearls and handed them over.

"Thank you, Cassie."

'You're welcome. Just don't tell anybody.' She glanced at her Trainer. 'Especially him.'

"I won't. It's our secret."

The Grumpig winked, then ran over to the artist.

* * *

December

At the top of Meteor Falls, a member of the Dragon Tamer Clan led Wally to where the wild Bagons lived. "You just want part of their shell?"

He nodded. "I'm happy with my team, thanks."

The little dragons lived on the top levels of the mountain, by its spring. They would sprint off the tall cliffs and fall head first onto the ground below. But they didn't seem fazed by the cliff diving. They seemed to be enjoying it.

"Why do they do that?" Wally asked.

"All Bagons dream of flight; if they grow strong and develop right, they can fly as a Salamence. But at this stage, all they can do is jump off cliffs." He shrugged. "They're stubborn that way, and some of them aren't too bright. We advise new tamers to observe them carefully for one that is fairly young. Even if they take a long time to train, it's worth the wait."

After a while of their watch, one Bagon did not leap back up the mountainside. Instead, she began scratching at her shell. Part of it had cracked and was coming off. It must bother her, Wally thought.

"Be careful, kid," the tamer said.

He nodded and approached slowly. He made sure to be right in front of her, to be less threatening. Also for that reason, he kept his hands down and open, his steps slow but steady, and his gaze not quite at her.

She noticed, of course. She didn't growl, just kept an eye on him while she dealt with the cracked shell. When he was close enough, he knelt down to be closer to her eye level. The loose piece looked small, but it would be the right amount for his project. He spoke softly, like he did when approaching new Pokemon at the Ranch. "Hi. It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you."

The Bagon looked at him, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. Wally held his hands up and let the dragon sniff them. Once she seemed all right with that, he brushed one hand against the broken shell. It seemed there were no nerves in the shell, but the broken bit was pushing into the skin underneath and irritating her.

Wally tugged at the broken piece, taking it off. He carefully plucked out pieces that remained, then cast Cure over it. It took him a minute to cast the spell. Once she no longer felt the itch, the Bagon made a pleased half-bark and gently nipped his hand. Then she jumped back up the cliff to rejoin her peers in cliff diving.

"I haven't seen a wild Bagon that tolerant of anyone in a long time," the dragon tamer said.

"The methods to calm one Pokemon usually work for others," Wally explained. "Most will let someone who speaks calmly and softly approach them."

* * *

Wally went to Lilycove to put the earrings together, then went to Mossdeep to get them enchanted. Then he had to go back to Lilycove to find someone to pierce his ears with them.

Eager to try it out, he called out Amigo. He touched the earrings, with the gray Sharpedo scale backing the white Bagon shell which held the black Grumpig pearl. A thin green hair from Amigo held them together. "I've got them now. I can't take them off or the enchantment will break, but I think they look neat."

"That is so," Amigo said. "But shouldn't you test it on a Pokemon you don't know?"

"True. Well there's plenty of Pokemon here." He looked around.

Amigo tapped his shoulder and pointed to a Tentacruel floating in midair near a teenaged girl in a red dress. The girl, who was really attractive... no, that wasn't important right now. The Tentacruel was rubbing its tentacles together in a method of cleaning itself out of water. Wally went up to the Tentacruel.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi, green boy," the Tentacruel responded. "I don't think she'll talk to you."

"Why not?"

It turned to look straight at him. "Hmm? You can understand me?"

He nodded and touched his ears. "Yeah, I can. So why won't she talk?"

"She's rude, a snot, and a snob. Oh, but could you tell her something for me? I've been dying to tell her in some way."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Tell her that her butt is fat."

Wally turned pink. "Ah, ahem, I don't think I can do that."

The girl then spun around and looked at him. Her face was as pretty as the rest of her, although there was a definite snobby attitude. "And just what are you doing, talking behind my back, literally?"

He touched his cheek bashfully. "Um, I was talking to your Tentacruel here. He's, uh, kinda quirky, isn't he?"

"Oh, you can understand Pokemon?"

He nodded. "Yeah, my earrings let me do so."

She smiled. "Incredible. Where can I buy those kind of earrings?"

"You can't buy them."

"Will you sell them to me?"

He shook his head. "No, I just got my ears pierced with them. You can make your own. You need two hairs from a Gardevoir, two pearls from a Grumpig, two scales from a Sharpedo, and a piece of a wild Bagon's shell, all willingly given."

"Oh. That's an awful lot of work. I think I'll pass."

The Tentacruel bobbed in the air. "Come on, tell her, tell her!"

"What are you so excited about?" she asked.

Wally scratched his head. "Well, um, he kinda asked me to tell you something, but it's not exactly nice. I mean, it's his opinion, not mine."

"What's he said about me?"

"He, um he said your butt is fat."

"WHAT?!" She went to punch Wally, but Amigo pulled him back in time.

"That was a dangerous thing to say," the Gardevoir noted.

"Did you really tell him that?" she asked the Tentacruel, glaring at him.

"And it's absolutely true!" he replied merrily, nodding by bouncing up and down quickly.

"That's it! I've had enough of you. You're going right back into that ocean." She stormed off.

The Tentacruel chuckled. "Hey, thanks buddy. Here." He handed over a pink scale shaped like a heart. "Give that to your girlfriend, alright? Good luck." He rushed after his Trainer and smacked her with a tentacle.

"Well, it helped the Tentacruel, at least," Wally said.

* * *

His mom nearly fainted when she saw him enter the house. "W-Wally, what have you done?"

"I got my ears pierced, mom," he said, secretly enjoying her shock. "They're enchanted so that I can hear the language of Pokemon. But I can't take them off or they won't work anymore."

"Oh well, I suppose, if you must leave them in."

"They'll be a great help at the ranch."

"I hope the place you got them in is reliable," she said, not certain what else to talk about.

"They were great; it was called The Biker's Tattoo and Piercing Parlor. They offered to give me a nosering too."

He could make out her silently thanking the spirits that he hadn't accepted that offer. But that relief was short lived. "You didn't get a tattoo too, right?"

"No, but I thought about it. They had some neat designs."

"No, don't."

"Aw mom, I'm almost eighteen. I can do this if I want."

"Just don't."

His father wasn't so grateful that he hadn't come back with a tattoo. "Proper boys don't do that sort of thing."

"It's a magic tradition," he argued. "Nobody in Lilycove thought I was strange for getting them in."

"That's Lilycove and this is Petalburg. You are not keep those."

"They're for my job. They're going to take me on officially and give me thirty hours a week until I've got enough experience for full time."

He sighed. "You were always a proper young man, doing the right things. What happened to you?"

Wally bit his lip, but his anger wouldn't stay back for long. "I went out and figured out what I wanted to do instead of what you two are always pushing me to do!"

"We're always thinking of your best interests," his mother said, but weakly.

"You can always try next year to be a Mage," his father added, missing the point. "There's still time and you were almost chosen."

"Well maybe I wasn't chosen because I didn't want to be. I never wanted to become a Mage and I'm not trying next time. I like what I'm doing right now."

That was absolutely it. "In that case, just leave and go back on your own," he said sternly.

"Fine." Wally stormed out of the house.

But now he wasn't sure what to do again. He went next door to the Brown's home. They were more accepting of his chosen way, his earrings, and of who he was. "Maybe all of you just need time to think over what's happened in the past year," Norman said. "In the meantime, you're welcome to stay here."

"Thanks." He looked down at his hands. "I didn't even get to tell them that I was going to challenge the Elite 4 this weekend."

"That could change their minds about you," Kiri said.

"I hope so."

Later, Kiri asked, "So those earrings let you hear Pokemon? Do you want to come with me for a couple of days to Rustboro?"

"What for?"

"Samba wants to visit his parents at the lake, just to let them know how he's doing. Choora told me about it, and I see no reason why not."

"That could be interesting. Okay, we'll go tomorrow."

* * *

Kiri and Wally made it through Petalburg Woods quicker this time, partly due to Surefoot and partly due to Wally's better strength. Samba walked alongside them the whole time, excited. At the lake outside Rustboro, he asked around until some other Lotads found his parents.

His mother had evolved into a Lombre too, mostly by age, and nuzzled him when she recognized her son. His father was still a Marill, still hopping along happily. And they had a new child, a little Azurill girl who bounced up on her tail. "So my big brother is real big," she said.

"And strong too," Samba said. "I've been to all sorts of places and been in all sorts of battles."

"That's great," the Marill said in relief. "We worried about how you were doing out there and if you still thought of us."

"I think about you lots, which is why I came."

"They're not that much different then human families," Wally whispered to Kiri. "I wonder what exactly makes the difference."

"Maybe if you listen a lot, you can find out," she whispered back.

Then another Lombre came out of the lake. This one had a faded lilypad, as if he was an elder. Which he was. "And what are you doing back here?"

"Just visiting, Grandad," Samba said. "I've been away for a long time."

"And you left without consulting me."

"Aw, come on. Lots of Lotads leave with Trainers. I just happened to leave with a Mage."

"Are you challenging my authority?"

"Well, not exactly, but I'm not going to stay, cause I have to stay with Kiri, no matter what you say."

Grandad Lombre growled. "Then you do challenge me. Then we must fight, without your human."

"He just challenged Samba to a fight," Wally said. "Without you."

Samba was looking back at them. "But..."

Kiri clapped her hands together. "I believe in you, Samba! Give it your best."

With that, he smiled and turned back to Grandad. "Okay, then, a battle with you."

The old Lombre grunted and climbed onto the wooden footpath over the lake. "In case your addled brain has forgotten, fights around here are decided by who can knock the other off the bridge and keep them from climbing back on for a count of ten."

Samba got onto the footpath as well. "I remember."

A trio of Taillows descended onto the path. "Woooo, fight!" one called.

"You birds keep count or I'll chomp on your feathers," Old Grandad snapped at them.

The three laughed, not terribly concerned by the threat. "Okay dokay," they agreed.

Old Grandad turned to Samba and put his front paw down firmly. After taking a deep breath, he shouted, "AND NOW YOU'LL PAY FOR YOUR INSUBORDINATION!"

His voice was so forceful that he got echoes from the trees surrounding them. Everyone there cringed, not at the volume, but at the aura that infused every word to be powerful. Recovering from the shock quickly, Samba matched his power by responding, "INSUBORDINATION? IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL THINKING FOR YOURSELF?"

Wally had his hands over his ears, but it didn't help much. "Yikes, I wasn't expecting them to do that."

Kiri traced a symbol in the air, putting a shielding spell over their ears. "You like Uproar? I just hope no one's trying to sleep around here."

The initial argument of Uproar was always most powerful, but the two Lombres continued their shouting match. "Most people aren't meant to think for themselves and you're one of them!" Grandad countered.

"Well then what makes you absolute ruler of the lake when you're just a stubborn old crank?"

"You ought to respect your elders and do as you're told, nitwit!"

"Why should I respect you when you've shown no respect for anyone else?"

"I've survived fifty harsh years while you're just a year from your egg. I deserve respect for that and you don't deserve anything! There's no reason why being with some human would make you better than me!"

Not well-practiced with the skill, Samba calmed down out of Uproar. Thinking quickly, he cast Surf and summoned a large wave out of the lake to crash into Old Grandad. The wave knocked him, and unfortunately some watching Pokemon, off the footpath and into the lake. "That's something that you'll never learn if you don't bond with a human!" he called out. Then he looked to the birds. "Count!"

The Taillows squawked. "Yes, yes, count!"

"One... two... three... uh, three... hey, what comes after three?"

"Beats me."

"Four," Wally told them.

The Taillow flicked his tail. "I knew that! Four! Uh... four... ten, you're out!"

"Samba wins!" one of the Lotads called. "And that makes him the leader of the lake!"

Others cheered. Injured, Grandad looked around. "Do you all disrespect me?"

"You're annoying, and bossy, and rude."

"Yeah, you only ruled cause nobody could beat you, but now this Lombre has. So you have to leave our lake!" Others cheered this idea.

Grumbling, he swam off and went into the woods. "Ungrateful nutcases. Just wait till something bad happens; then they'll want me back." Before long, he was gone.

"But I can't rule the pond," Samba said. "I have to stay with Kiri."

"But then who's in charge?"

Samba scratched his head, then nodded. "I know. My mom and dad will rule the lake. They're good Pokemon."

"We will do our best," the Marill said.

"Yes, certainly," the Lombre added.

He did a backflip, gaining a blue aura as he did so. "Great! Then I'm glad I helped."

Most of the Pokemon, save for Samba and his family, went back into the lake. Kiri came up to them. "Good work. And I think it's time you had this." She pulled out the Water Stone she had been saving.

"That smells good." He ate it. After a moment, the blue light of evolution surrounded him. This time, he transformed a lot, becoming bipedal, growing a more pronounced beak, growing long yellow-orange body hair, and turning his shallow lilypad into a triangular sombrero. "Yes, now I can really dance!"

"Wow, you look funny," his sister said, bouncing along beside him.

"You ought to go with a Trainer some time," he replied. "You might becoming funny looking too."

"Okay, I'll look for one."

"It's good to see you've reached our full potential," his mother said. "Come back and visit any time."

"Certainly. Goodbye mom, dad, sis."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Pokemon

Roselia  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Careful  
Likes: grooming  
Dislikes: messy things

Meg (Skitty)  
Trainer: Wally  
Nature: Rash  
Likes: chasing noisy objects  
Dislikes: being told to focus

_Spells_  
  
Surf: This is another multipurpose spell. Old texts state that Surf gives one power over the waves. The standard use of Surf is the battle use: the user summons a strong wave of water to crash into everyone within the attack radius. This does not require a body of water, surprisingly. Surf can be used anywhere, even in a desert, and a large amount of water will briefly appear to attack, then vanish.

The secondary use of Surf allows those with strong mana to walk across water as if it were land. Originally, it was believed that one must be barefoot in order to accomplish this. Then it was discovered that the user can indeed wear shoes so long as they don't think about their shoes. This matches with the ability for Teleport users to not wind up naked at their destination point: if the clothing item is a part of the user's current identity and self-image, the item will be affected by all spells that affect the user.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the problem of not teleporting naked is something that has to be considered in a magic system that allows for the ability.  
> Some of my favorite characters in this fic are the Pokemon. Even the ones that only show up once, like Old Grandad and the Tentacruel. They have really silly moments, and they also have some touching moments.


	22. Summoning Rayquaza

January

The Dewford and Lavaridge ceremonies were important to the safety of Hoenn, but there was one much larger than this. On the first day of the new year, all of the Gym Leaders would gather for a ceremony done by the Fortree Leader to the immortal Rayquaza. Due to the unfortunate incidents over the summer, everyone had agreed that this year, the ceremony should be done to full tradition with full regalia.

Norman asked Samantha to be his flag bearer. He also chose two of his Gym Trainers, Sadie and Matthias, along with Kiri to come as representatives. They had to wear the official Gym colors: dark brown and tan, as the primary type was Normal. In the same way, Norman had to wear his formal robes, dark brown with gold Unown text. "At least it's winter," he said as he laced up his new brown boots. "That makes it easier to be in this outfit all day."

"It's worth it, though," Samantha replied. "We need to head out soon to make it on time."

"Right. Let's go."

The family went out to the Gym, where the two Trainers were waiting for them. Samantha went inside to get the flag. Up above, dawn was forming in violets and dark blues. It was silent and still, with frost covering the ground in crystals and the ponds sheeted in ice. A handful of Petalburg residents came to see them off, but it was colder than usual this year.

When they had the flag, Norman teleported them all to the south shore of Lake Pyre. Not only had Gym towns sent representatives, but other towns sent some as well. Tiny Pacifidlog sent a pair with a blue flag with a Seaking on it. Fallarbor, Verdanturf, Lilycove, and Slateport all sent the flags of their Contest Hall in care of prominent citizens. Oldale had dug up an antique flag from their library and Littleroot had a crisp new flag with tassels. The gathering of the Hoenn towns and cities was impressive.

But up ahead were troubling signs. A black fog covered the peak of Mount Pyre. From what talk Kiri heard, white fogs were normal. This was unnatural. "I'm going to check with the others," Norman told his group. "I'm not sure we can do this with that hanging over us."

After he left, Samantha gripped the flagpole closer. "I thought they said that this ceremony has to go through every year."

"Creation Play has done a lot to stop that," Kiri replied. That made her think of Hope, and how Steven couldn't change her Sandstorm spell back in Dewford. She brought the Castform out, along with Choora to translate. "Hey Hope, what do you think of that?"

"That fog?" She floated up to get a better look, then returned in a hurry. "Evil enchantment. The ones who cast it are so devoted to their cause that they would rather give up their lives than give up their ideology. It's not... madness induced, like what I did."

She stroked Hope's head. "Evil weather, huh?"

"Rayquaza can clear any weather enchantment," Sadie commented. "But if we can't get up there to summon him, he might take offense and not come to clear it."

"And Mount Pyre is the gathering place of lost souls," Matthias added. "The ghosts are not going to be happy about that."

Hope looked down and made her skirt-frill ruffle in nervousness. Then she bumped softly against Kiri's shoulder. "Um, well, I think I can clear that fog. They said something about making sure that my weather effects take priority. But I'll have to go up there and it takes a lot of magic, and if the ghosts get me..."

'Could we go up there with her?' Choora asked.

Kiri considered it. "I'm not sure they'd let us on the mountain. But... hey Sadie, Winona runs a Flying Gym, doesn't she?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that's always been her specialty."

"She might be willing to lend one or two of hers to protect you. Let's go ask."

"What if they don't like me because of before?"

"Norman knows that you're free," Choora pointed out. "Between him and her, we should be able to convince them that you're good now."

Winona was a tall slender woman with a long braid of lavender colored hair. Her formal robes were pale blue and white with gold Unown symbols. Norman, Liza, and Sydney were with her.

Kiri stopped near them. "Excuse me."

"Hey sport," Norman said. "What is it?"

"Hope has offered to try clearing out that black fog for us. Right?"

She drifted forward shyly and bobbed up in the air to agree. "Yes, I think I can."

"This is the one who was at the other two ceremonies?" Winona asked.

"Her curse is broken," Liza said. "Good work."

"But she's scared of going up there alone and I don't have any I can send with her. Winona, do you mind giving her a guard?"

She smiled. "No, I'll be glad to. Thank you, Hope. I'll send my own Guardian Fuego with you."

The Charizard beside her bowed his head. "No harm shall come to you, little one."

Hope tilted herself in her own bow. "Thanks. Okay, I'll do it now." She flew up towards the peak of Mount Pyre with Fuego flying beside her.

In this part of Hoenn, the sun was starting to show. Hope took those few early rays and intensified them, weakening the black fog. She simultaneously produced a rain shower over Mount Pyre to force the moisture to the ground. When the fog wasn't clearing enough to her liking, she added a strong wind. The mix of strong winds, clean rain, and intense sunbeams produced a dazzling triple rainbow over the sacred mountain that could be seen from anywhere in the region.

The black fog couldn't compete with that and was destroyed. Hope dismissed the wind and rain, but left the sunbeams a little longer to dry up the ground. After that, Fuego let her land on his head and brought her back to Kiri. Hope dropped into her lap, exhausted. "Wow, I really did it."

Winona patted Hope. "You made a glorious day for us. Good work."

"I've never seen a sight like that," Sydney added. He flicked his hand to summon something, but kept it hidden for a moment. "Pokemon that do deeds beyond what is expected of them ought to be rewarded, and I think I've got just the thing for you, little girl. Hope, I bestow upon you the Hero Ribbon. Wear it with pride." He then attached a pretty yellow ribbon with a red shield on it to Hope's skirt-tail.

She squealed happily on seeing it. "So I'm a hero now? Wow."

Winona raised her hand in the air to get everyone's attention. "Okay, we're clear, so we're heading up now." Then her party led everyone over the temporary bridge onto the sacred mountain.

Near the peak, there were two plateaus going all the way around. The non-Gym towns, the Elite 4, and Wally and Victor as the two regional Champions went to the lower plateau with the Gym groups went to the upper. Norman led his group to their place and Samantha placed the flag in a white stone stand. Then the five of them joined hands for prayer and meditation.

It was difficult at first. The mountain was a gathering place for ghosts as well. Their cries and moans came from inside where loyal Pokemon were buried. Hope remained in Kiri's lap, quivering for the ghosts but curious about what was going to happen. In time, the ghosts calmed to the many prayers. Then, at some signal of readiness, Winona and her Guardian left their group and ascended to the shrine at the peak.

She had an Echo stone with her, which would send her words to the other Echo stones the groups had. Thus, everyone heard her gasp, then say in a worried voice, "They're gone. If those orbs are broken, the immortals will awaken. We could be in a lot of trouble."

"You must still perform the ceremony," Tate reminded her.

"If we cannot avoid their awakening," his sister continued.

"We must keep them calm as long as possible."

"You're right. Keep an eye out for trouble." She placed the Emerald on the pillar in front of the shrine and joined hands with Fuego. Perhaps because she was older than both Brawly and Flannery, she activated the Emerald before they had. "Master of the skies, Rayquaza, please listen to those of us walking the earth's surface and swimming in the sea's water. Continue to look after the peace of Hoenn and grant us your blessings. There seem to be those looking to stir up trouble, but we are not they. Help us poor mortals live our lives as peacefully as possible."

Instead of the green light possessing Winona, there was a rush of wind and a metallic roar. It vibrated their bodies, as if they stood inside a giant cathedral bell. A large snakelike dragon appeared. It had green scales and long whiskers. When it spoke, it sounded to within their bones.

"Take caution, mortals," it told them. "The devil Lokire has been spinning a web. Many hearts could fall to its power. When the time comes, act quickly or a dark fate shall be yours. What problem you see in front of you is merely a diversion."

"Just a diversion?" Winona asked.

"A dangerous one, but yes, a diversion." It made a wide circle, stopping by the Petalburg group. "Castform, your power is greater than I expected. I would bless you for clearing this place, but I am not the guardian spirit of your kind."

"You're not?" she asked, confused. "We thought you would be."

"The one you should pray to is called Deoxys. Still, thank you for taking control of the weather when I'm running close to exhaustion."

Then Rayquaza flew back into the atmosphere, vanishing from their sights somewhere along the way.

* * *

Winona invited the Browns to lunch after the ceremony. "I'm fine," she said. "I've done this ceremony more than both of them and I wasn't possessed. But what I felt troubled me."

"What is this ceremony for?" Samantha asked. "I've been in Johto most of my life."

Kiri added, "Me too. The other two asked for protection for their cities, but Rayquaza lives so far from Fortree."

"We are a sacred city to the great sky dragon, but yes, this is different. Rayquaza enforces the peace among the Pokemon of Hoenn. There are a great many rivalries between some races. For instance, up near Fallarbor lives the Seviper race and the Zangoose race. These two hate each other and, at the heights of their feuds, will drive away other Pokemon who live there. But a word from Rayquaza will stop them, at least for a little while."

Samantha nodded. "Okay. Do Groudon and Kyogre fight? It seems like they would."

"When awake, yes."

"When awake?"

"Children around here grow up hearing the story, but you both aren't from this region. It is said that Groudon raised the lands and Kyogre raised the seas. They each thought they were most important, so they argued, they fought, and eventually they caused wars within Hoenn among many races, even the human race, to determine which was best.

"Groudon argued that all the rain Kyogre brought down flooded living creatures away, drowning those who could not abide water. Kyogre argued that the sun that Groudon intensified killed all plants, and thus all life that depended on them. They both convinced many people that the other was evil; even today, there are a few holdouts that say one or the other tried to destroy the world.

"Eventually, Rayquaza got tired of all the bickering and battling. He flew down into one of their battles and cast a spell that negated both of their weather effects. He told them to stop arguing and concentrate on helping mortals. For a while, they agreed to that, but that peace didn't last long. Rayquaza intervened again, in a stricter manner. But the third time, he had had enough. He cast them both into a deep sleep and put them away from the mortal world.

"The other ancients weren't pleased with this arrangement. Perhaps they even feared that Rayquaza would do the same to them. They convened, forcing the sky dragon to awaken the earth-shaper and sea-creator so they could have their say. At this meeting, the two began fighting once again. Arceus told them to stop, then came up with the sacred truce.

"This truce states that Kyogre and Groudon were to be put into hibernation. Their bodies lie in secret places, but their spirits are free to roam and protect a single place sacred to them. Rayquaza, on the other hand, was told that he could never land upon the earth again, unless the two others were awakened and his power was needed to stop them. To symbolize this sacred truce, Arceus put a shrine on top of Mount Pyre, the place where Rayquaza originally came down to calm the feuding immortals. At this shrine are three orbs, one blue, one red, and one green. These three keep the ancients from interfering too much with the mortal world."

Kiri was fascinated by the story. "Wow. It must have been a terrible time when those three were arguing."

Winona nodded. "It was. One never knew where a shoreline would be, or when a volcano would spontaneously appear. When the sky dragon got involved, he neglected to maintain the weather, so strange things like snow in the desert and heat in the tundra occurred. But we humans have a part to do in this truce. The three ancients gave their sacred places a special gem, like the Emerald I protect. Once a year, when the immortal dictates it, we must offer a prayer to enhance the gem and maintain the truce. Since all three ceremonies were disrupted, the feud could ignite again."

* * *

It was Friday. In preparation for potential battles tomorrow, Wally went into the stadium. Victor was in there. "Hey Victor."

He looked over with dazed blue eyes. "Huh? Oh, Wally." He rubbed his nose. "You can call me Vincent, if you want, when nobody else is around."

He smiled. "Okay Vincent. I haven't seen you around much, even on challenge days. Of course, you have a good idea of when someone's coming to challenge you, since there aren't many Mages or Wizards on the League Challenge."

"I've been... looking."

"Looking for what?"

He looked down at the floor. "I'm not sure. I just know that I've been looking, for something."

"Weird. Are you okay?"

Vincent shrugged and looked back at him. "Somewhat. I guess so. What are you doing?"

"Taking a walk. Something's got Amigo all worked up." He looked over at the other side of the room, where the Gardevoir seemed to be looking through the wall.

"What is he doing?"

"I don't know. He's only telling me that he sees red and it troubles him greatly. He's been like this for the past three days."

"That's bad. You might not be able to use him in battle tomorrow if he's still distracted."

"How's Mi...?"

"Shh!" Vincent touched his lips. "Don't call it."

"Why not? Isn't it your Guardian?"

"I don't know anymore. It decides most of the things we do now. I'm not sure how that happened. I was picking what to do and it was giving me advice and help... then I started having mental blanks, and now it seems to be in charge. Maybe that's why it was considered a failed Guardian."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." He put his face in his hands. "I think I made a mistake, but I'm not sure how to get out of it. This is supposed to be a bond for life. But my Guardian seems to be corrupted."

Wally gave him a brief hug. "It's okay, Vincent. We'll figure out something together. I'll write people for more information, since your mail seems to be bouncing."

"Is it? Is that why I haven't heard from you in months?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I wrote you every day at some points. The letters never reached you."

"This isn't good. Be careful, Wally."

* * *

There was red mist obscuring the ground where Wally walked. He smelled bleach and menthol, a combination he didn't like because it reminded him of all the times he'd been sick in bed. He came across the blond-haired Victor, looking ahead as if searching for something.

"Vincent?" Wally called out. He tried not to stumble, but the ground was loose and kept slipping from under his feet. "What are you looking for?"

"You aren't supposed to interfere," he answered, and from the tone of voice, Wally could tell this was the Victor personality. "We aren't to spread word of Missingno's presence."

"I know that." He paused. He thought he heard either Sandy or Altaria singing. "But what are you looking for?"

"It's very important that no one interferes," he replied sternly. "You're thinking of breaking the silence."

"But you're not well. I don't understand how or why, but this secret may be harming you more than it's helping anyone."

Victor turned to him with cold eyes. "If you break this secret, people and Pokemon will suffer. You will suffer."

A slap across his face dissolved the vision he was seeing. Wally blinked and found himself in the Ever Grande apartment he now lived in. His Flygon and Altaria were by him. "Wally, wake up!"

He grumbled and closed his eyes, feeling exhausted and overly warm. "It's the middle of the night," he told them. "And why's the heater on so high?"

"Get up!" Sandy demanded. "Something's not right."

"You're turning pink," Altaria said. "And things look red now. It's scary. Wake up!"

"Huh?" He forced himself to sit up and soon realized why he was so fatigued. "Aw great, I think I'm getting sick again."

"We've all gotten sick," Sandy told him. "And the others are taking this worse."

Wally looked at the two of them. Altaria's blue feathers were slick with sweat and his clouds were tinged with pink. Sandy wasn't hovering like she usually did and the red shields over her eyes were dulled. "The others are worse? Where are they?"

"In the living room."

He got out of bed and, despite being light-headed, went to check on his other four. Amigo and Delcatty were unconscious on the couch, both flushed with fever like he was. Bit was lying in a corner, apparently conserving on his energy in sticking together and staying alive. Roselia was breathing heavily, with her leaves beginning to look wilted. And like Altaria had said, everything was starting to take a tinge of red.

"I don't think I've ever been sick like this," Wally said.

"Amigo said it's very contagious," Sandy related in a fearful tone. "He said we shouldn't leave the apartment, but then passed out. What should we do?"

"Probably call the Pokecenter." He went to the phone and checked the directory for Ever Grande City. He dialed the number there, but wasn't entirely sure he got it right.

But the polite female voice that answered assured him that it was the right number. "This is the Ever Grande Pokecenter. How may I help you?"

"This is Wally Chesterfield," he said, trying to hold the phone still. "My Pokemon and I have gotten ill suddenly. I'm afraid it's really serious."

"What symptoms are showing?"

"My Gardevoir, Roselia, and Delcatty have all passed out; the other three are fatigued and weakened like me. Roselia's wilting some and the Magneton and Flygon are both getting dull where they should shine. And we all seem to be seeing things turn red; the Gardevoir said that it's very contagious, so I'm not sure..."

"I will come over in a minute to check on you. If you are not too worn out, try misting some water over your Roselia, as she will suffer dehydration quickest. And stay calm." She hung up.

He did as instructed. Roselia seemed to revive for a moment, but then muttered herself into sleep. Altaria managed to lift up the window some, so he and Sandy sat there to try cooling off.

Nurse Joy gave a single knock, then entered. She wore a paper face mask and white gloves. "So all of you have gotten sick just tonight?"

He nodded. "Everybody seemed all right when I went to bed, about ten o'clock."

She nodded, then looked over Amigo and Delcatty. Wally continued trying to get Roselia's leaves to stop wilting. Then the elf gasped. "But where did it come from?" she murmured.

Wally's heart thumped, which gave him a weird head rush and made his vision grow redder. "Wh-what is it? How bad is it?"

"We must put all of you into quarantine, now," she stated. "I would like to know where you picked up this plague, but we can not overexert you or let this spread."

After that, his memory of that evening blurred.

* * *

Kiri got back from school one day to find her Dad home early. "We've got to head out to Ever Grand City."

"Ever Grand? What for?"

"Wally's very sick," Samantha said, "and he's still on bad terms with his family. Plus, all of his Pokemon are sick too. It doesn't look good."

They couldn't bring any of their Pokemon, as the Fire Fever passed quicker from Pokemon to Pokemon. And when they visited them, they had to wear face masks and gloves. "It is odd that it popped up here out of all places," Nurse Joy told them as she led them to the restricted room. "It can lie in wait for decades, then flash across the land. But it has been much too long since an outbreak reached this place."

"It might have come from one of the challengers," Norman pointed out.

"We are checking all of them thoroughly, but so far, they all seem well."

Wally's face was flushed, bright red. He was awake, but not entirely alert. "Thanks for coming," he mumbled. "I thought I was doing well, but... I'm just a magnet for disease, I guess."

"They can heal you, Wally," Samantha said. "Hopefully it'll just be a few more days of this."

"How's my Pokemon?"

"Like you, no worse."

"Amigo's really unhappy that they won't let him come see you," Kiri said. "He was sending me a confusing array of telepathic thoughts, but that came through clearly."

"Sometimes he reaches me. Kiri, about Vincent..."

"Vincent? How's he doing?"

"Something's not right. We need to talk to him. But this might have happened..." his voice trailed off and he fell asleep.

* * *

Although he still felt weak, Amigo went to the room Wally was in. "I'm sorry I couldn't understand my visions in red sooner," he apologized.

The boy was still too weak to get out of bed. "Huh, Amigo? Aren't you supposed to stay in your room?"

"I had to come see you." He placed his hands on the bed rails. "Your soul feels lonely and I don't want you to be alone."

"Thanks." He touched the Gardevoir's hand. "My parents still haven't come by. I know they're mad at me, but it just seems petty and selfish. They were so nice to me when I was a quiet person, but once I started speaking up, they disown me? I don't get it."

"I've wondered if they're not confused as well. Perhaps you're not who they thought you were."

"Didn't Steven tell us that he used to be that way with his father? Maybe I'll make it up with them someday like he did."

"Hopefully."

"I haven't seen Vincent either. But when my fever was really high, I kept seeing Victor. Maybe I've just been delusional, but he's hostile towards us now. He doesn't want other people to know about Missingno. And then Vincent told me that he's missing large blocks of his memory and that he doesn't trust his Guardian either."

Amigo felt a psychic tremble that left him feeling gravely disturbed. "And as you were thinking of getting help for Vincent, we all come down with a rare illness. I believe they still can't locate how we got sick."

"Can they do that, make us sick spontaneously?"

There was a knock on the door to the outer visitor area and then Victor came in. "Hey there, Wally," he said, much too cheerfully to be in a hospital. "I heard you pulled through the worst of it, so thought I'd drop by. Too bad this'll cost you your Championship."

"I don't care about that," Wally said. "My Pokemon will recover, that's what matters."

Victor said something else, but Amigo didn't quite hear it. He felt a mental touch, like an inexperienced psychic was reaching out to him. 'Pocketed a scrap of paper.'

He looked at Victor. 'Vincent?' he said telepathically and carefully.

'Take... pocket.'

Take pocket didn't make much sense. Did he mean the paper in his pocket? Amigo wasn't that great with telekinesis. He now had a natural telekinetic hover that countered gravity, but moving other things by the force of his will alone, he wasn't skilled at it. But it was important. Vincent was trying to get around the usurper in his mind with a skill he wasn't much good at either. So Amigo would have to try.

Fortunately, Wally had Victor's attention. Amigo looked over the false Champion, particularly his jacket. There was a scrap of paper with something written on it hiding within the left hand pocket. The Gardevoir tried to imagine a hand slipping into that pocket, grasping the paper, and pulling it out.

The paper quivered, but stayed where it was.

He took a glance at Victor. He hadn't noticed. Again, Amigo imagined taking hold of the paper and grabbing it. It would slip through the slot that the staff passed Wally's medication and food through. The paper did slip, but then fell to the floor. He couldn't manage to get it further than that. He could just wait until Victor was gone...

No; Amigo had a strong feeling that Victor would see the paper and whatever Vincent wanted to pass along would be exposed. He sent a message to Wally, 'Stay quiet.'

He was puzzled, but beyond a quick glance, didn't show it. Once he had Victor's full attention again, Amigo teleported out to the visitor area, picked up the paper, then teleported back to where he had stood.

For that effort, he wore out what little energy he had. Amigo drifted over to a chair by Wally's bed and sat there until Victor left.

Once they were alone again, Wally turned to him. "What did you go out there for? We can still pass on Fire Fever."

"He won't get ill," Amigo said confidently. He passed over the paper. "Vincent wanted this to get to you."

"Vincent?" He looked at the paper.

The message it had was sketchy. 'The three Pokemon kings sleep unseen. It seeks the key to awaken them. Rayquaza can only rest on the top of Sky Tower. The black flames of Lokire keep him aloft. A Wizard of old times, Master Azazer, left an imprint of his legacy near Fortree. Something connects these.'

Wally was disappointed. "I thought he'd write something like 'get well soon'."

"He didn't want to mention his Guardian by name to avoid attracting attention. This could be something similar."

"You're right. But the three Pokemon kings, Sky Tower, and the old tyrant Azazer? I'm not sure what that means."

"We have seen the black flames on Sky Tower. It's hard to miss that sight during the day."

"Rayquaza is said to be an enforcer of peace. I could see why Lokire would want to weaken Rayquaza, but why would Missingno be looking for three kings?"

"He wants to do something great. Is he trying to awaken them to fight Lokire?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure how well that would work, though." He rubbed his eyes. "I can't think that well right now. We'll keep that and think it over later."

"Okay. You get some rest."

"You too."

* * *

"Fred?" Kiri rolled through the house with Choora following her. "Fred, come out."

"N-O, no," he replied grumpily. "I'm in a bad mood. Leave me alone."

'He says he's in a bad mood,' Choora translated. She peered into her silver spoon. 'Something does seem off about him.'

"Is it bad?"

She stared into the spoon a while longer, then shook her head. 'It's normal, somehow. We might want to leave him be, unless the power suddenly goes out.'

"I see." She looked, but couldn't see the Magnemite. "Okay, we'll leave you be. But talk to me later about this, please?"

Fred growled.

"I have a report to write," Kiri said to Choora. "Can you make sure Honey isn't teasing Mach again?"

'I'll see about it.'

But when the girl went into her room, Choora didn't go immediately to find the Smoochum. Her thoughts were on something else: a vase. It was a pretty thing, sitting on the dining room table. It was white, tall, thin, and delicate, a china vase spinning around itself in a frozen dance. There was a bright red rose inside; Norman had bought it for Samantha on her birthday. A symbolic treasure. Choora liked it.

She considered taking it, as she looked it over again. It had been a while since she had taken something. She wasn't supposed to; she knew it was wrong. Maybe she could borrow it for a short time? It was pretty without and within, as she could see the enduring love that the vase and rose represented. Besides, it had been so long since she had taken anything that wasn't hers. Just this once, take it for an hour and then return it. That was all.

"Hi Choora!" Honey called. "Whatcha... oof." She had tripped herself up again.

Choora teleported to the other side of the room, then came back. "Oh, Honey. You startled me."

She sat up and giggled. "Hehe, I gotcha!" She paused to rub her face. "Did I get my face dirty?"

The Kadabra sat down. "No, you're fine."

But this wasn't right. She knew herself better, Choora supposed. She knew that if she started taking things again, she'd fall back to being a thief again. It was a dreadful habit that she had to get rid of, once and for all. Especially now when she had this younger Psychic looking up to her.

"What're you thinking about?" Honey asked. "You seem to be resolved."

Choora chuckled and patted her. "I'll keep my thoughts to myself for now. What're you doing?"

"Well, Mach and Fred are hiding and Kiri's busy. I was kinda bored, really."

"Hmmm... want to talk to Samba? He's goofy, but fun to listen to."

"Okay!"

Later at dinner, the electricity went out abruptly. "Fred, cut it out!" Kiri called.

The lights came back on. "Sorry, S-O-R-R-Y." He drifted into the dining room. It was obvious that he had evolved, as two copies of his original body were attached together. The three minds spoke in unison. "I got a little excited about getting done."

"This is going to be a problem," Norman said, putting his hand to his cheek. "City laws state that a Magneton cannot be outside of its Pokeball within city limits, except in the Gym."

"What?" Fred asked, sounding disappointed. "But I'll be more careful. H-O-N-E-S-T, honest."

"Because they'll disrupt the electrical lines?" Kiri asked, although she was disappointed too.

"Yes, but what we saw was just a minor display of his natural power. He can summon an electrical storm, which is why his kind is considered one of the more dangerous Pokemon in modern society."

"I see." She looked at the Magneton. "Sorry, Fred. I'll see about taking you out of town every day so you can be outside some."

His magnets drooped. "I never meant to be trouble." But he didn't fuss further about being recalled.

* * *

Because Wally needed time to recover, the League had called back the previous Trainer Champion to replace him. But that was hardly a concern to him. He had his own health and that of his Pokemon to think about.

That, and the trouble Vincent was in. In a closed room at the Fortree Ranch, he called out his team. "Amigo and I have a fairly good idea of why we got sick," he told them. "We think it was Victor or Missingno who did it."

"Who?" Meg the Delcatty asked.

"The Magic Champion, twit," Bit said.

"I know that," she retorted. "But who's Missingno?"

"It is a former follower of Lokire," Amigo said. "It bonded with Victor as his Guardian to redeem itself. At least, that is what it says. We're not so sure of its motives now."

"So this could all go back to Lokire?" Roselia asked, shocked.

"It's a possibility," Wally admitted.

"Whoa, no." Roselia shook her head. "If you're going to mess with the devil, I want no part in it."

"I'd rather not. But my friend is in trouble. I have to help him, somehow."

"But you're an idiot for trying to cross Lokire," Bit said. "He could have done much worse than just make us sick. And why should I be suffering for your dumb mistakes?"

"Would you rather me let you go?"

"If you're keeping after this Vincent, then yes, I'm not helping you."

"Yeah, we don't want that much trouble," Meg added.

"Then I'm out too," Roselia said.

"I'll stay with you, I promise," Amigo said. "It is not in the nature of my race to abandon loyalty."

"Thanks," Wally said. He felt hurt that those three wanted to leave him. But he understood why, and making them stay would be cruel. He turned to Sandy and Altaria. "What about you two?"

The two dragons looked at each other. Then Sandy said, "I will stay with you. I was curious to see where you were going, and if I leave now I will never know."

"Well, um," He looked at his left wing for a moment, then nodded. "It's scary, yes, but you have made me braver. I've heard you talk of your friend; if you can have the heart to help him when he's denied you, then I can have the heart to help you."

"Okay. I'll have to turn you three over to the Ranch while you recover, then they'll see if you can go back to the wild."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Winona Brown  
Job: Fortree Gym Leader/Master Wizard  
Battle Strategy: Fight with grace and speed  
Hobby: quilting  
Secrets: Norman is her second cousin.

_Pokemon_

Fuego (Charizard/Guardian)  
Trainer: Winona  
Tier: Inactive  
Likes: classical music  
Dislikes: heavy metal music

_History_

Master Tyrant Azazer: For over fifty years, the evil wizard Nathaniel Azazer terrorized Hoenn and other nearby regions through his cruelty and rumored immortality. His best known atrocity was the single night massacre of the castle town of Volcairn. Archaeological evidence recently located to the west of Mount Chimney has given us the estimate of ten to twelve thousand residents of Volcairn at the time of its destruction.

One curious mystery of Azazer persists to this day: his Guardian. Although historical records show that he had a corrupted Guardian, there seems to be some confusion over what that Guardian was. The Aquelle people of Pacifidlog maintain that it was a demon created by Lokire, not a true Pokemon Guardian.

_Legends_

Rayquaza: Master of the sky, Rayquaza is the third Guardian to the region of Hoenn. This dragon controls the wind and thus can negate any weather spell cast around it. An old wives' tale says that Rayquaza knows about anything that goes on in Hoenn, for the wind brings him news of all. Furthermore, if one can climb to the top of Sky Tower when Rayquaza is resting there, the dragon will answer any one question honestly. More questions might be answered depending on its mood and the questioner's integrity.


	23. A Rainforest in Drought

February

Norman had to be gone for a day on League business. As something of a prank for challengers, he had Kiri wait in the Leader's room. Normally he would take care of Gym business or teaching his Trainers while waiting on challengers. Kiri worked on her homework.

Her first challenger came at eleven. "I'm ready to go!" the Trainer declared when he came through the door. Then he noticed her. "Huh? Wait, you can't be..."

"Right, I'm not the Gym Leader," she said. "Dad's gone for the day on League business. You'll have to challenge him tomorrow."

"Oh, uh, okay. But why didn't he just close the Gym?"

"I guess he's being nice and letting you have a dry run. You want to challenge me instead?"

"Sure. Taillow, you first!"

Kiri smiled as she picked her Pokemon. "Fred, you're up!"

Fred sizzled in triplicate as he appeared. "B-A-T-T-L-E!"

"Aw crud," the Taillow replied.

It wasn't much of a challenge.

Her second challenger was actually a pair, twin girls. "Does this Gym do Double Challenges?" the one possibly named Glinda asked.

Kiri nodded. "Sure. I'll even fight you Doubles if you like." That would be really good practice.

The other, who might be Belinda, smiled. "Okay!"

Although it put her at a disadvantage, Kiri summoned first. "Honey, Mach, go!" Once they came out, she added, "And cooperate, both of you."

Mach glanced warily at Honey, who shrugged and turned to their opponents. Satisfied, the Tyrogue watched as they were brought against a Vulpix and a Nuzleaf. This shouldn't be a problem for him. The Smoochum might have some problems and Kiri couldn't intervene much.

"Both of you, all out on the Nuzleaf," she told them.

"Nuzleaf, Bide," Glinda (?) ordered.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower," Belinda (?) said.

Honey used Confusion, so Mach held back a moment before leaping in to attack. The Nuzleaf winced at both attacks, but held its ground. The Vulpix summoned a blast of fire at Honey, who took it hard. But for Doubles, they couldn't switch.

"Again," Belinda said.

Mach narrowed his eyes. Before Kiri could ask anything from him, he hit the Vulpix hard with Mach Punch. He took the Flamethrower to his face, which knocked him out.

Honey shrieked. "You can't do that to him!" She blasted them with Powder Snow, only a much stronger version than usual. It was stronger than the other two could withstand; they were both knocked out. But it was also a little strong for Honey to handle. She dropped back, but remained conscious.

'Guess I should be more careful about putting those two together,' Kiri thought.

"Isn't this a Normal type Gym?" Glinda asked.

"I'm not officially part of the Gym." When the twins were gone, she left to get Mach revived and Honey healed. Kiri then went back and summoned them again. "You two okay?"

"Yeah, but I was weaker than I should have been," Mach said. "Do I have the power as a follower of Regigigas?"

"Don't be too disappointed, Honey," she told the Smoochum. "You did your part well."

"I wasn't tough enough," she replied. "I wish I could be. I wish on Articuno that I could help better."

Mach was then surrounded by a gold light. Shortly after, white snow flew up around Honey. Mach grew taller; he looked much the same, but had short stubby hair and red boxing gloves. Honey also grew taller, and broader, with longer hair almost to the ground and a orange-red scale growth much like a dress. According to the Pokedex, that made them a Hitmonchan and a Jynx.

"Very nice," Kiri said. "You two look great."

"This should make me stronger," Mach said with pride.

Honey squealed. "Yay, we both grew up on the same day! That means we are destined for each other!" She hugged Mach.

He tried to get out of her embrace. "Hey, let me go! I'm too tough for hugs!"

"But we're so cute together."

"Help me," Mach begged of Kiri.

"Hang on, Honey," she said, gently tugging the Jynx's shoulder. "Your affection might be too much for a macho guy like Mach."

"Okay, so I got to soften him up first." She winked.

"Phew, thanks."

* * *

March

It was Spring Break, so Kiri decided to go for the Fortree badge. It was something of a long trek, from Petalburg to Oldale, then to Mauville, then back to the route she had stopped at. And then it was the same problem: that bamboo thicket. But she had a plan.

She brought out Choora, Honey, Mach, and Fred. "Okay guys, like we practiced back at home. Honey, you go through to the other side of this thicket. Mach, you're protecting her. And Fred, you're chaperoning."

"Aye-aye," Fred replied.

"Aw, we have to be watched?" Honey asked.

"I will do my duty," Mach said.

"Once you get to the other side, Honey, I need you to contact Choora. Got it?"

All four nodded, Fred by moving his main body. The three took off. While Kiri and Choora were waiting, Brendan appeared. "Hey Kiri. What're you doing here?"

"Going to Fortree," she replied.

"Are you sure? This thicket is really dense; it's hard to get through even on foot."

"I've got it licked, though."

Choora tugged at her shirt sleeve. 'They're clear.'

She smiled. "You just watch. Choora, let's go." She teleported with the Kadabra, both targeting a short distance away from Honey's signal. By that, they successfully crossed the bamboo thicket.

Brendan teleported after them. "Huh, nice work," he said. Then he held his hand out. "But you notice something wrong? This is the Tropius Rainforest, but there's no rain."

"Yeah, that's weird." She looked up. There were clouds overhead, but they showed no sign of dropping rain.

"On the other hand, Lilycove has been excessively rainy. The weather patterns have run amuck ever since the start of the year. It's starting to have serious effects; there's a wildfire warning out for this route, because of the methane plants."

"Methane plants?"

"Yeah, they produce a lot of the gas, and when lightning strikes them, they go up in flames. There's been lightning and fires around here, but not much for rain."

"Crazy. I'll be careful, but I want to make it to Fortree over break."

"Well, good luck. I'm actually trying to find a Tropius now, for some research data." He vanished into the thicket.

Kiri traveled north. As the sky began to darken, she spotted the wooden bridge and waterfall from Hope's memories. There was a Ranger House on the east side of the bridge. "Let's stay here for the night. There's so many trees and bamboo, plus the possible wildfires."

"Good, because I'm tired out," Honey said.

A sign in the Ranger House said that anyone was welcome to stay, so long as any mess was cleaned up immediately. There were some old appliances, several cots for beds, a bookshelf with outdated guides, and a square table. There were also a pair of Pokemon there, both of them speaking quite clearly in English.

"Maybe if you just asked for directions," one said. He was green and red in a sleek form that seemed like it would move quickly.

"I shouldn't have to ask for directions," the other snapped back. He was oddly formed, so it was hard to decide if he was cat-like, hominoid, or something completely alien. He then noticed Kiri coming in with her four Pokemon. "And just what are you doing out here?"

"Calm down," the green one said. "This place is open to anyone; that's why we stopped here."

"We stopped here because it would be more secluded than a Pokecenter."

"I don't want to be traveling this route too late," Kiri replied. "And we're still some ways from Fortree."

"See? No need to bite her head off."

The second grumbled. "Fine."

The first one then sneezed hard. His body shifted to something that looked stronger than before. "Hoo, sorry about that."

"You really need to find a way to stabilize your genetic structure."

"I'm Kiri Brown, a Mage," she told them. "Who are you two? You can't be ordinary Pokemon."

"Heaven forbid the thought," the second replied.

The first nodded. "Good to meet you, Mage. I am Deoxys, and this is Mewtwo. You could call us the younger legends, I suppose. We're gifted with the same power as the immortals, but we're still pretty new. I'm only five years old and he's thirty or something. He won't say exactly. Would you like to join us for pizza?"

"I have three more Pokemon besides these guys, so that's okay."

He chuckled. "Nah, we're good. See, I told you there must be a reason you ordered so much." He pointed to Fred. "And a battery."

There was a loud metallic crash outside.

"That should be the pizza," Mewtwo said. "Fred, would you tone down your Magnet Pull?"

"Oh, sorry," he replied. He powered down his magnets and slowly drifted to the floor.

Deoxys went to the door and met with a Skarmory that was getting back to her feet in a daze. "Ooo, what the hell was that?"

Kiri was puzzled. "How can I understand you guys?"

"That's my doing," Mewtwo said. "I translate without thinking about it."

The delivery bird shook her head. "Ahem. Good evening; I have your delivery from Skarmory Pizza House, any delivery within eighty miles within an hour or it's free. That's thirty-nine minutes since you called, so your bill comes to twenty-five dollars and seven cents." Out of habit, she pulled out a piece of paper with that figure printed clearly on it.

"Sure thing," Deoxys said, placing the exact amount in her money pouch. It dinged to confirm that it was the right amount. Only then would she let them take the four boxes of pizza and one battery.

"Right-o, then have a good evening." She took off, back for the restaurant.

Mewtwo didn't speak much during dinner, but Deoxys was glad for conversation. He was especially glad to meet Hope. "I haven't got to meet one of you face to face yet. We just found out at the start of the year that I was supposed to be watching over your kind."

"It's okay," Hope replied. "We thought Rayquaza was watching over us, since he controls the weather that we report on."

"That's who told us about it, also that Mewtwo is to watch over the Porygon family."

He shrugged in response. "Not that Porygons really need much help."

"Unfortunately, we're not really sure what we're supposed to be doing with that," Deoxys said. "Rayquaza told us to ask Latias and Latios. But we haven't been able to find them.""

"They must be using psychic barriers to keep me from noticing," Mewtwo commented.

"They can also fly much faster and longer than that Skarmory, so we have no idea how to meet with them. But we were told to speak with them." He sighed. "The elders are frustrating at times. I'm sure they're trying to help us develop in our own ways, but they won't even give us a hint."

"My Dad's like that," Kiri replied. "But I know it's because he loves me and wants me to do well."

At the end of their supper, Choora brought out her Arcane cards. "I might be able to locate Latias and Latios for you."

"You?" Mewtwo asked indignantly. "There's no way a mere Kadabra can find something that I cannot. I am the most powerful psychic in the world; there is no contest."

"I could still try," she replied. "I've been thinking about it and it might work."

"Just let her try," Deoxys said gently. "Who knows? They might have put up that barrier to specifically block you from finding them."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "That would be like them. Okay, girl, give it a shot."

"Thank you." She pulled out her Arcane cards and shuffled them. When she arranged them, she had the cards of Flight and Psychic up top. Below them were Ground, Plant, the Defender, and the Lovers. Below that were the Devil and Sky. Choora traced her hand over them, then nodded. "It appears that they are northwest of here, in a cave on the mountains that divide the Windy Desert and the Tropius Rainforest. This cave is wide and tall, but high off the ground and shallow. This is where Latios and Latias make their nest."

"In a cave high off the ground?" Mewtwo asked. "How did you find it that fast?"

"I did not search directly for them. I searched for psychic barriers of significant power. There are two such barriers: the one over the cave, and the one at Sky Tower. But they aren't likely to be at the latter place."

"That's a good idea," Deoxys said. "Why didn't you think of looking for the barrier itself?"

Mewtwo fumed silently for a moment, then sharply said, "Let's go," before teleporting away.

The green Pokemon put his one hand to his chin, then turned to Kiri. "Are you headed for the Weather Institute? It's just north of here; should only take you fifteen minutes to get there."

"Really? Then we'll head that way. Thanks Deoxys."

"No problem. Good luck, Hope." Then he teleported after Mewtwo.

* * *

Kiri looked over the science building and its many windows. "You ready to go in?" she asked Hope.

"Is anyone still there?" she asked, trembling. But now Kiri couldn't understand her words, just that she was nervous.

Another Castform dropped from the sky. "Is it Hope, for real, for real?"

"Joy!" She darted over and bumped her sister affectionately. "Bad awful things happened."

"Oh no. Well come in. Everyone will be happy." Joy rushed in, followed by Hope.

Kiri followed as well, but had to stop when they flew up a staircase. "Man, why can't any place have elevators around here?"

"Hello there," a researcher said. "Welcome to the Weather Institute."

"Hi. I brought back your missing Castform, but she rushed off upstairs."

"You got Hope back? I heard she was turned into a Shadow."

"She was, but I healed her."

"I'll go get Cozmo." He went upstairs, coming back down a few minutes later with the doctor, Hope, an off-colored Roselia, a humming Unown, and three other Castforms. "This is the Mage who returned her."

She smiled. "Hi, I'm Kiri Brown."

Cozmo clasped her hand and shook it. "Kiri, thank you so much for healing Hope; I was afraid she'd never be her old self. I'm Cozmo Cirrus."

"Good to meet you. I'm glad she's all right."

"You did a wonderful thing," Thorn the Roselia said, then bowed.

"I've been using my girls to study the weather and learn how to predict it better. I never dreamed they could do such powerful things, though. I have begun teaching the others some attack spells in the time since, so they can defend themselves."

"How do you make Pokemon, anyhow? I thought they were just born."

"Oh, that. Do you know about Unownology?"

"I know a few Unown letters from some ruins in Johto, but not much more than that."

"I see. Well Unownology is a type of magic that depends on the cryptic Unown text. If you build and balance the magic of the different letters right, you can create things you wouldn't see from any other spell, even new Pokemon. It's a little restricted, though. I only know how to create Castform and Porygon."

"Oh, and we found out that it's not Rayquaza looking after us," Hope told her two sisters and one nephew. "It's a new one called Deoxys."

"Deoxys?" Faith asked.

"Sounds weird," Joy said.

"Well he does look kinda weird, but he's very nice."

Cozmo clapped his hands. "I can teach you the full Unown alphabet, if you'd like. The Unown are trusted with many secrets of the world and if you earn their trust, you can learn some strange things from them. Cetra?"

The Unown went, "Neep!" and flew over to them. It blinked its eye curiously.

"Cetra is primarily a C, but they can form any other letter or mark they wish. Will you help with the lesson?"

"Neep!" Cetra shifted its black limbs to an 'A' form. The Unown lesson took up some time, so Cozmo offered to let Kiri and her Pokemon stay the night.

* * *

Cozmo stroked Hope's head. "Let's get another reading on you, so that I know what you're capable of now. It'll help the others be stronger."

"Okay, so they won't go through that nightmare," she replied. She drifted over to the scanning machine.

Thorn climbed onto a nearby chair. From here, he could look at the space the Castforms hovered in while being scanned. "I looked for you for a long time," he said. "I felt very sad when I heard that you were cursed."

Hope glanced around; only Cozmo and Thorn were with her. She knew that while in the scanning machine, her creator would get an Unown readout of anything she said. But that was fine. "They made me think all of you were dead, and then he made me forget you, but remember that hurt. It was awful; I was crazy."

"Who made you forget?"

"Lokire."

Thorn leaned on the scanner. "That's awful. But if you forgot us, it was not you."

"Yeah." She glanced over at Cozmo. "He says that if I forgot all of you, it wasn't me."

The scientist read over the results, taking an extra second to translate the Unown text. "Thorn's right, Hope. When I heard about what the cultists were doing, I knew it couldn't be you. You wouldn't have hurt anyone knowingly."

"Kiri used a Sweet Scent spell on me to calm me down," Hope added, looking back to Thorn. "It smelled like you."

He smiled. "It would."

"I think that helped me free more than anything. Once I could start to remember you, I had a reason to fight the curse."

"I'm glad that I could inspire you." He reached over and patted Hope. "What will you do now?"

* * *

Hope came up to Kiri during breakfast. "Kiri, I'm sorry, but I want to stay home with my family. I like traveling with you and all the rest, but my family's important."

After getting that translated, Kiri nodded. "I understand. It was good knowing you. I might come by and visit sometime." She pulled Hope's Pokeball off her belt and handed it to Cozmo. "Here, she wants to stay home."

"Thank you, again." The scientist looked over at Hope and smiled. "We'll have a lot of work to do now. If Rayquaza is coming close to exhaustion, we'll have to do our best to correct the weather patterns. You'll have your sisters helping out; it might make things easier."

"I've got a lot of work to do, but I can do it."

Thorn came up and tapped Kiri's arm. He had a peculiar bracelet on his arm now. "Here, I want you to have this treasure I found, for returning my greatest treasure."

Hope giggled and drifted down to kiss him.

"Alright," Kiri said, taking the bracelet off the Roselia's arm. It was a wide bracelet made of hammered bronze. Unown text had been inscribed around it. "This says... 'Ice Rock Steel'. Huh, that's odd."

"I remember that," Cozmo said. "Thorn picked it up near the rock formation in the southeast part of the rainforest. I did some research, but all I could find out was that it's an Aquelle artifact."

"What's Aquelle?"

"It's a tribe of people who've lived in various regions. They're said to be excellent wizards, but I only studied their work in the mysteries of Unown. They seem to have made some amazing Pokemon through them, some of which may still live among us. But they're also secretive and won't let just anyone study their records."

She traced her finger over one of the letters. "Maybe I'll take it by one of those formations and see if anything happens. Well, goodbye Hope."

"Goodbye Kiri," the Castform replied, coming closer for a hug. "I hope you do come visit me."

"Professor, we should call up Winona," one of the assistants said. "She'll probably need help getting around Fortree."

"You're right. I'll go take care of that."

* * *

The entrance to Fortree was marked by a wooden gate decorated with carved leaves. Past this were two large wooden staircases that climbed into the tall trees. Looking up, Kiri could see the wooden platforms that made up the town, far above ground. It looked like every building of the town was up there. "Well this stinks," she muttered.

This caught the attention of a teenaged girl standing on the right staircase. Grinning, she waved. "Oh hi! Are you Kiri Brown?"

Kiri nodded. "That's me." Upon noticing her white and lavender outfit, the leaf-patterned Guardian ball on her belt, and the Gym Trainer badge pinned to her shirt, she added, "Do you work with Winona's Gym?"

"Sure thing. She told me to keep an eye out for you. Come on, we'll go up by the freight elevator."

The elevator was owned by a furniture store which, for one reason or another, had placed itself in the treetop town of Fortree. The entire town had been built on log platforms that were supported by trees or tower structures. Everything was up here, from the Pokecenter to the private homes. Even the Gym. It gave the town a unique feel, with all the rustling leaves and airy structures.

However, the leaves were yellowing and browning, signs of the change in weather patterns.

"The Gym is in the south part of town," the apprentice Mage said. "This way."

Although the bridges between platforms were sturdy and guarded by rails, some were narrow, so she had to be careful about other pedestrians. They passed around several large trees, eventually coming upon the largest platform Kiri had seen so far in Fortree. Off to the side, there was a building that presumably was Winona's house. The Gym itself, though was open to the sky.

It was a Flying type Gym, after all. Kiri gripped the Amulet Coin that hung around her neck. Flight magic was strong against Fight magic. Although the three remaining Gyms all put her at such a disadvantage, she wanted to take this challenge now. The spell Fly would make the rest much easier. Or at least quicker.

Winona was currently fighting another challenger. It must have been a first tier battle, as she was using a Taillow against a strange lizard. This lizard had a zigzag stripe across her belly, but otherwise was difficult to see. Her scales matched the wooden platform perfectly. But the camouflage couldn't fool the brightly colored bird. He darted over to peck her, using Quick Attack to great effect. The lizard fainted.

"Kiki!" The girl looked at the Pokeball, worried.

"Your Kecleon will be fine once you take her to the Pokecenter," Winona said. "She has an ability to change her aura with whatever attack strikes her. Learn to use this and you will learn to fight with her well."

"O-okay." The Trainer took her two Pokeballs and left for the Pokecenter.

"Hey Winona!" the Mage with Kiri called. "She's here."

"Really?" Winona smiled as the two came up to her. "Earlier than I expected. You did well to pass through the rainforest this quickly."

"It wasn't too bad with some planning," Kiri said. She pulled out her card and handed it over. "So obviously, I'm here to challenge you this morning."

She checked the badge count, then nodded. "Very well. Give me a moment to switch teams." She healed the Taillow, then placed the two Pokeballs in a box, switching them out for four others. "Since you're on third tier, you don't have to fight my apprentice Lynn here. But Wallace has an apprentice, and you will have to fight them both when you get to Sootopolis."

"I see."

Winona lifted her hands, summoning the shield and orbs. "I adore Pokemon who can fight with both grace and power. When my team takes flight, will you be able to keep up?" She released a Swellow from a light blue Pokeball.

It was time to take a page from her dad's book and try overpowering Winona's team before they could attack. She released Honey. "Go for it," she called out, casting Light Screen quickly.

The Swellow flapped its wings proudly. "You're going down!" He rushed forward to Quick Attack, much like its unevolved peer had earlier.

Knowing what she meant, the Jynx cast Ice Beam while the Swellow was retreating back to Winona's side. Caught by surprise, he squawked, then fainted. "Not by you."

Winona replied with a wry smile. "Overpowered a bit much?"

"The last Gym I fought in was back in August," Kiri replied. "We've been training ever since."

"That is one strategy." She released her second Pokemon, a Pelliper. "Let's see if you can maintain it."

"Remember," she told Honey quietly.

They had fought a lot of Wingulls and Pellipers around Petalburg, so Honey did remember that her Ice spells usually didn't work well. She struck the Pelliper with Confusion; a Shock Wave from Kiri finished it off.

Winona stopped the spell she was casting to release a Skarmory. "Fly," she called, then went back to her spell.

The metal bird nodded and took off into the air. Neither of Honey's types would work well against him, Kiri recalled. On the other hand, though, she could do a lot of damage. "Brace yourself," she ordered, then cast Bulk Up on herself. Now to just wait for that Skarmory to come down...

Honey cast her own defensive spell. However, when the Skarmory did return, he dove at Honey with such a strong blow with his beak that she passed out. Kiri cast Blaze Kick right then; a phantom image of Billina appeared and delivered the fiery attack which knocked the Skarmory right out.

In the meantime, Winona had cast Levitate; she was now floating a foot off the ground. "Very creative solution," she said. "I was wondering how you would use your Fight type magic. Still, there is one more." She summoned an Altaria as Kiri brought out Fred. "Take them out."

"B-A-T-T-L-E!" Fred called, sparking in excitement.

"What a nerd," Altaria replied as she moved up, then slammed into the ground to cast Earthquake.

While the spell was restricted to those within the shield, it rattled Kiri enough to put a good crack in her concentrator orb. Fred was barely hanging on, as the quake had disrupted his electrical control. She cast Cure on him, hoping that would give them enough time for a substantial attack. "Go for it."

"I like being a nerd," the Magneton growled as he sent Thundershock at Altaria. The bird cried out in pain, but didn't fall quite yet.

"Aerial Ace," Winona called as she sent a blast of wind at Kiri.

* * *

A brilliant red shield soon appeared around Kiri as Billina came out. She clenched her fist, but only said, "I trust you, Fred."

"I won't let Kiri down," he replied.

Checking back over his opponents, Winona's orb was in perfect shape. Her Levitation spell had kept her safe from her Pokemon's Earthquake. Altaria was badly hurt; Fred just needed to take him out before the Leader healed him. And that would require a guaranteed hit, like Shock Wave.

Fred blasted the Altaria with the energy wave right as Winona was raising her hand to Cure him. Altaria passed out.

"Well chosen," Winona said, dropping her hand, self, and shield. Her Guardian Charizard appeared behind her, watching Billina quietly. "Could Lynn help you back to the Pokecenter?"

The girl Mage's Sceptile appeared by her, clasping her shoulder. "Oh dear," she mumbled.

The Blaziken looked over the girl. A stranger, but then again, she didn't know her way around Fortree. Billina nodded carefully.

"Good." The Leader tapped Kiri's ID card, making it glow white, then handed it over to her apprentice.

Lynn bowed to the Blaziken. "I won't let any harm come to her." She went over; when Billina took hold of Kiri's wheelchair handles, she nodded and led the way.

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Cozmo Cirrus  
Job: Meteorologist/Pokemon Professor  
Hobby: archeology  
Battle strategy: use background effects as an advantage  
Secret: He's never managed to win a Gym Badge.

_Pokemon_

Thorn (Roselia)  
Trainer: Cozmo  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: treasure hunts  
Dislikes: bullies

Swellow  
Trainer: Winona  
Team: 2nd and 3rd tiers  
Nature: Relaxed  
Likes: watching clouds  
Dislikes: thunderstorms

Pelliper  
Trainer: Winona  
Team: 3rd tier  
Nature: Rash  
Likes: arguing  
Dislikes: losing arguments

Skarmory  
Trainer: Winona  
Team: 3rd tier  
Nature: Hardy  
Likes: collecting pebbles  
Dislikes: hail

Altaria  
Trainer: Winona  
Team: 3rd and 4th tiers  
Nature: Impish  
Likes: surprises  
Dislikes: routines

_Legends_

Mewtwo: It's said that Mewtwo first appeared in the Kanto region, about thirty years ago. However, anything else about his origin is a mystery. Rumor has it that he was created by a secret project on Cinnabar Island. This project reportedly looked into Unownology and its connections to the pure magic of life. No papers were written, so nothing can be confirmed. What is known is that Mewtwo is more violent than any other immortal of the current day. The best advice is to steer clear of him.

Deoxys: Only within the past year has word begun to spread of another young immortal. Deoxys is apparently from one of the outer islands of the Hoenn region. Pretty much everything is unknown about him. He has been seen with Mewtwo a few times, so the current thinking is to be cautious when dealing with Deoxys.

_Author's Note_

Side projects: Technically, the scene at the Ranger House is what jumpstarted The Ballad of Deoxys and Mewtwo. These two stories can't exist in the same universe, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Winona's Gym is on the ground. But I liked the idea of it being on the treehouse platforms better.  
> There is a battle against a Magma/Aqua member at the Weather Institute, which tends to be one of the encounters that I forget about. Even though it is a bit rough: you've just trekked over a lengthy Route with lots of Trainer battles, plus unavoidable grass areas, you don't have Fly yet, but you have to fight a mini-boss in order to progress to the next town. Actually, two mini-bosses as Brendan or May will battle you after you cross the last bridge. Thankfully, you can rest in the Weather Institute, so it's not as bad as it could be (like crossing Mount Moon for the first time in first gen games, ugh).


	24. Duels and Duets

That evening, Kiri ate supper with her Pokemon at a café. "So what actually happened?"

'Fred used Shock Wave so he knew it would faint before it could knock him out,' Choora explained. 'So we won.'

"Ah. Good work, Fred." She patted the Magneton.

He bowed his head in acknowledgment, but seemed uncomfortable in how he was wrapped in three cotton scarves. "I couldn't let you down. But this stinks; I'm getting warm."

"It's the law around Fortree," Choora told him. "You can be out, but your power has to be dampened with those scarves."

"W-A-R-M, equals bad." He sighed. "At least I am outside."

"But we're inside," Samba said, his hands covered in red spaghetti sauce.

"I-N, O-U-T... I'm with you guys, that's what I mean."

Choora tugged at a scarf to get Fred's attention. "I'm just curious, but how did you learn to spell? It isn't common for Pokemon to know how to do that."

He shifted his units in a happy gesture. "Well, I found a S-P-E-L-L-M-A-S-T-E-R."

"A what?"

"Spellmaster. It's a toy, T-O-Y, that humans use to teach their kids how to spell. I had to charge it every now and then, but I spent weeks with that toy learning how to S-P-E-L-L. But then it broke down." He sighed. "I was unhappy about that."

Kiri took a washcloth, wetted it with her water glass, then wiped off Samba's hands. "Geez, you're all messy. Are you trying to get a bath tonight?"

"Why would I try?" he asked charmingly, shaking his lily hat.

Honey giggled. "Don't be coy; you just want a bath."

"And you did good too, Honey," Kiri added, playfully dabbing the saucy washcloth on Samba's nose. "I'm sorry about letting you faint. The Skarmory must have gotten a lucky shot with that attack."

"I'm okay," the Jynx replied. She tapped Mach's shoulder. "But shouldn't you have been worried for me?"

"Why me?" he asked, leaning away from her. "The elf healed you, so no point in getting troubled."

"But I was so worried about you when you got knocked unconscious. Can't you have more concern for your girlfriend?"

"You are not my girlfriend," he said sternly.

'Guess you'll have to try another tactic,' Choora told her telepathically.

'Yeah, bummer.'

"Excuse me," Winona said, stopping by her table. She made a bow to Billina. "I apologize, loyal Guardian, for my actions. I meant none of you any lasting harm."

The Blaziken made a bow with her head. "We accept your apology."

"Thank you. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Kiri shook her head. "Nah, go ahead."

She sat down at the table and looked over the Pokemon. "I must say, if the rest of this group is anything like the pair I faced, you have a wonderful team. You've done well on your own thus far. Of course, you likely have been watching your father battle over the years."

She grinned. "Yeah, he kinda regretted that when I fought him."

"I'm sure. I've already put the Feather Badge on your ID. It allows use of the spells Levitate and Fly. With these two spells and the others that come with the Hoenn badges, no land or sea will be an obstacle, even with your disability."

"All right, that's great."

Winona tapped the table, making a salt shaker rise into the air. "Levitate you can learn on your own from this symbol." She brought out one of the rune flash cards; the symbol on it represented lifting a box. "Start with objects around the size and weight of a single brick. With more precision, you can lift smaller objects; with more magical strength, heavier objects. You could even lift yourself as I did. It may take some tries to be comfortable with, but it should help you especially.

"Now the next spell I have for you is likely the most complex you'll cast as a Mage, but it is vital to learn in your duties as a Wizard. It is a double symbol spell, Fly." She produced a card with both Levitate and Teleport on it. "It is for longer distances than Teleport, to return to any place you remember. But you'll want to try it for a short distance first. You might want to get your father to help you with it."

Kiri looked over the two symbols and tried to figure out how to cast them both at once. "I would."

"Birds and a few others can do this naturally, but without such a Pokemon, you'll need this method. Focus your magic first on flight magic, that used by bird Pokemon. Have your current location and your destination in mind. Place the Levitate symbol over the first and the Teleport symbol over the second. Then cast. It should take you and anything in physical contact with you. And as I said, do short distances until you master them, then try long to a familiar place."

Kiri nodded. "Alright. I don't think I'm up to it tonight, though."

"I understand. Do you have means to return to Petalburg for school?"

"Yeah, I think I can get back."

"Good. Oh yes, there's a third spell with this badge. Aerial Ace. It's a fast Flight spell with good power. I've seen that you realize how important it is to know many kinds of spells." She pulled out a second flash card with a symbol that was close to Quick Attack.

"Okay, um," Kiri pulled out her Pokedex and checked the spell listings. She found that the symbols for Levitate and Aerial Ace had been recorded. "Got it. Don't really want to practice in here."

"Certainly not." She got up and patted Kiri's shoulder. "You're doing well. Take care of yourself, and your Pokemon."

* * *

Kiri left Fortree around sundown, heading east. The Pokemon Ranch wasn't in city limits, but close enough that they took the name of the city. There was an elegant wooden bridge spanning a large and sudden drop in elevation to the south. There weren't many others out this late, only a boy with three Pokemon. "Hey Wally!" she called.

He turned in surprise, then waved. "Hey Kiri! What're you doing out here?"

"My team just beat Winona's Gym this morning."

"Congratulations. It must have been hard, given your magic."

"They pulled through, though. So what are you doing out here? I was going to see if you were at the Ranch today."

"I'm off right now. I came out here to see something. Look down there."

Kiri came up to the fence and looked down. There was a lake below the bridge; its surface was so smooth that it reflected the bridge and cliffs like a perfect mirror. The whole lake was surrounded by cliffs; only a few narrow paths lead to small patches of shoreline. In the southern part of the lake was a reddish-black island of jagged rocks.

"Looks like something blew up down there," she commented.

Wally nodded. "A long time ago. If you look at the land around here, you can tell that it's supposed to be a gentle slope down towards Mount Pyre."

"Unlike the slopes on the western route?"

"Yeah. But there's this giant hole with a lake here. About seven hundred years ago, there was a grand castle sitting right here. Books say that its spires reached twice as high as Glass Lake down there is deep. This was where an evil wizard ruled over Hoenn."

"So, did this evil wizard blow up his own castle?"

He shrugged. "The records aren't very good, so Azazer might have. The thing that's got me interested, though, is the description of his Guardian. It apparently had no form. 'Like a shimmering cloud come down to earth', one book said."

"Like Missingno?"

"Exactly like Missingno. It had no firm type. Other Pokemon were hesitant to trust it. It seemed to know a variety of spells, more than a single Pokemon should know. So maybe Azazer was its original partner."

Kiri looked up at Wally; he was troubled by this information, as she was. "What's that mean for Vincent, though? You can be affected by your Guardian; that's why Winona knocked me out with Aerial Ace."

Wally leaned against the fence. "I'm not sure. I haven't heard from him in so long and Victor's interference keeps me from talking to him personally. I want to know, but it seems like all I can do is research these old stories and try finding a way past Missingno. I don't trust it anymore."

"Me either; I've heard too many weird things about Victor."

He looked up into the darkening sky. "I wonder if the three Pokemon kings had anything to do with the fall of this evil wizard."

Sandy, who had been perched on a fence post, sat up and whistled. "Hey, something's happening down there."

"Is it starting?" Wally asked, looking down at the lake. "Yeah, that's it."

Kiri looked back at the lake and quickly spotted the event. The island stuck on the lake was glowing faintly red. It brightened, like a coal heating up in a fire, until the whole stub of rock burst into flames. Under the moonless sky, it lit up the cavity with an eerie glow. Not a trace of smoke came off the rocks and the water only kept the fire restricted to the island. "That's really weird. It's fire magic, but there's something different about it."

"It's a holy flame," Wally explained. "It will burn red for most of the evening, but if you watch until early morning, it will turn white. The island burns every new moon."

"What for?"

"The wizard. There was something strange about Azazer that made him nearly untouchable. No one could kill him. Once, an arrow hit him in the chest and stuck fast. He removed it by himself with no signs of being in pain and hardly any blood drawn. In the end, the castle was turned to dust, but he remained, down on that island. His body was broken, unable to move, but still alive. They burned the island to finally kill him. When this story was better known, people used to fear that if that fire did not appear, Azazer would come back to life. They would pray to the fire."

"And so it remains, seven hundred years later."

"Yeah." He shook his head. "I hope we won't have to get that desperate. But there are the news reports violent storms around Hoenn, in places that are important to the Guardians of this land. Lokire is pushing them into something. Maybe even civil war."

"Do you think we should tell somebody about Vincent?"

"Be careful in saying that, Kiri," he said, straining to hold his worry back. "I was thinking that back in January and my whole team got sick for it."

"You think that's why?"

"I'm almost certain."

"Then what should we do? We should try to help Vincent; if he was growing sicklier every time you saw him, he must be badly off by now."

Wally gripped the fence and kicked the ground. "I want to help him, but... I don't know what to do. I, I think if I can figure out what or who the kings are, or what happened with this wizard and his castle, I might gain an edge over Missingno."

Kiri leaned back in her wheelchair for a moment, looking at the burning island. "I was thinking, I can probably challenge Victor and Missingno sometime this summer. When I get there, I might be able to trick Vincent into revealing the ruse. It's risky and we could get in a lot of trouble. But the Elites would be around and we could get him help that way."

"Maybe. He might get hurt, though, so we'd better try other things. You wouldn't mind helping me if I run into anything tough, right?"

She nodded. "Right. Just ask me if you need help with anything. I'll stick up for you guys anytime."

Wally smiled. "Thanks. Um, do you want to camp out here with me tonight? I want to see if this fire really does go all night."

"Sure, thanks. I did come by to visit you. Hey, could you fly me back to Petalburg tomorrow? I need to practice that spell a lot before I try going that far with it."

He glanced up at Altaria, who nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Come...

Honey woke up, startled. Raindrops pattered down the roof of their shelter; there was no light beyond the fireplace and a single lantern. Someone was calling out psychically. It was a masculine mind, so it had to be a stranger. Who was it?

She looked over the rest of the group in time to see Choora leave the campsite. She didn't go that far, just to the bridge over the nearby lake. Most of the others were asleep. "Choora?" she whispered, not wanting to wake them.

"You ought to go after her," Billina replied quietly.

Honey gasped and looked up at the Guardian. It seemed that she had dozed off while standing up, leaning against a post. But when she opened her eyes, Honey could tell that the Blaziken was alert. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Standing guard for the rest of you. There's someone powerful out there on the bridge with Choora."

"Who?"

"I have my suspicions." She closed her eyes. "But it is a matter between Psychics. I would be out of my depths to go check on her. You should be fine, though. Make sure that she doesn't get in trouble."

"You think she could be in danger?"

"Possibly."

"How can you know that? You're not psychic."

"Call it a Guardian's intuition. You'd better hurry."

"Oh right. We'll be back." She shuffled off into the rain.

The bridge was an impressive wooden structure that managed to resist the near constant rains. It was wide enough and sturdy enough to let two large Pokemon pass each other comfortably. Honey was able to sneak along the side and hide behind a post when she came across Choora and the other psychic. After making sure that she wouldn't be easily noticed by either of them, she watched.

It was Mewtwo who had called them out. He had his arms crossed over his chest. "What I mean to say is, thanks for helping us out." There was a reluctant tone to his thanks, as if someone had guilt-tripped him into doing it.

"You're welcome," Choora replied. She was being cautious around the more powerful Psychic. She was aware that coming out here on her own was potentially dangerous.

With that over with, he relaxed some. "I did notice that you are very familiar with those cards. You've been practicing in secret."

"It is a useful if risky skill. I've been better about not pulling Devil's Hand in combat, but there's always that chance."

"Chance? Chance should never be a problem to a master of the arcane. It is only a problem for the weak."

There was a flicker of anger from Choora, but she kept control. "Most of us need the experience of being terrible at a spell before gaining mastery over it. And that experience can make you a better card reader than any new prodigy."

"Is that so?" He pointed at a spot between them, summoning a odd green doll. It had an aura of Grass magic to it. "Then why don't you show me your Arcane Power?"

Nodding once, she summoned her cards and chose Fire. The plume of fire that appeared easily destroyed the doll. Mewtwo then summoned another doll; this one was dark violet with a Poison aura. Choora drew Steel; it took the doll out again, but not as spectacularly as the first. They continued for several minutes; he would summon an elemental doll at random and she would do her best to match it. The two times that she picked poorly (Electric for Ground and Ice for Water), the doll attacked her with its element.

Then she pulled Chariot for a Bug doll. It turned into Hyper Beam, summoning a large stream of energy to overwhelm the Bug doll. However, it overwhelmed her as well. Choora had to pause a moment to stabilize her mana.

Honey looked at Mewtwo and saw a reddish glint in his eyes. Somewhere in the exchange, it had stopped being a test and started being a battle. He knew that she was getting exhausted, not just from the Hyper Beam, but also from using Arcane Power more than she was used to. He summoned a Ghost doll and prepared to strike a blow that would knock her unconscious.

Alarmed, Honey cast Ice Beam at Mewtwo. "Cut it out!" she cried as she came from behind her hiding spot. "You're taking this way too seriously." She stopped by Choora and hugged her. "Are you okay?"

After a second, she patted Honey's back. "I am now. Thanks."

Only the rain was heard for a bit, showering over the bridge and lake. Then Mewtwo was next to them, having calmed himself down. "I'm sorry. I learned to be violent early on. It still holds onto me as... your compulsion holds onto you."

"We must overcome such faults," Choora replied. "Especially you, as yours is more dangerous."

"Yes." He shook his head. "You know, it is always you ordinary Pokemon who surprise me. I just don't get some things... anyhow, you are quite skilled with those cards, more so than other Kadabras I've seen with them."

"I learned from my father. He's just an Abra but he's still probably better than me at it."

"Dusack, you mean?"

"Yes. Have you heard of him?"

Certainly. Rumor has it that his skills exceed that of what a first-stage Psychic should be capable of. So he is in this region?"

"Dewford. He never leaves the island, barely ever leaves the caves."

"I see. I might go visit him and see if those rumors are true. Still, to attain full mastery of the arcane, that normally requires more power than you hold now. I might be able to help with that."

"What are you going to do?" Honey asked, worried.

"It's fine, I won't harm either of you. An Abra's power sleeps until he or she awakens as a Kadabra. And yet, some of your true potential sleeps yet within your mind. This power will never awaken until a master of Psychic powers approves of the Kadabra's progress. I am a master and you have suitably impressed me."

Mewtwo then touched Choora's forehead, causing a golden glow to envelope her. When the glow faded, her tail had vanished, she had grown taller and leaner, and her silver spoon had split into two. Honey could tell that an Alakazam's power was much sharper than a Kadabra's.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. You will still have to practice some to exert full control over an Arcane deck, but you should be intelligent enough now to do so. As for you," he turned to Honey.

"What?"

"You stopped me from doing something I would regret, so thank you. Here; you missed learning this." He produced a spell card and passed it over to her. "Ice Punch might be redundant when you already know Ice Beam, and it will take you some practice too, but it should impress your boyfriend."

The Jynx giggled. "How nice. I'll have to try it out on him soon."

Mewtwo nodded. "I think you're odd in falling for a fighter, but I've learned not to argue with love. Take care." He vanished.

* * *

Amigo paused by the fireplace. Honey left the shelter for the bridge. Why was that? He wasn't sure, but felt that it wasn't his place to interfere. He also noticed that Billina was awake, watching. Not the fire, though, but the landscape, in case of attack. A wise plan, even though he would naturally sense any danger that threatened them. But his mind wasn't on potential dangers right now.

The Gardevoir drifted quietly to where Billina was standing guard. "Something has disturbed the quiet of the night."

"Mewtwo."

"Who?"

She lifted her head and pointed to the bridge. "I'm sure you feel that, if I can. A young immortal of you Psychics, but with a streak of savageness."

Amigo looked out towards the source of power. "And you sent Honey there?"

"Choora went too." She rubbed her beak. "I have a hunch that they'll be okay."

"Nothing disturbs my senses, so you could be right. It's remarkable that you can tell such a thing."

Billina clucked in amusement of some thought. "If you think that's remarkable, then..."

Amigo tilted his head after a moment of just the raindrops. "If that, then what?"

"I know what you're up to."

He blushed and stammered. "I, I'm not up to anything. Really, what would make you think that? I'm just, you know, not really sleepy."

"Like Wally?"

"Yeah, like Wally." He looked over to where his Trainer was fiddling with a pair of binoculars. Ever since the rain started, they had to stop watching the burning island from the bridge. Despite that rain, the fire was still going.

"No, I mean like he can't sleep tonight."

He looked back at Billina. "Huh? Now you're confusing me."

"From what I understand of your race, your bonds with your Trainer are very similar to a Guardian's bonds, because you empathize so deeply with people. So you begin to pick up their habits and personality, their likes and dislikes. You mirror what your Trainer's heart is going through. You're half in love with me."

"What? But that's silly. You're a Guardian. You don't really fall in love like we can."

"Not like you can," she agreed.

"That's just... awkward." He rubbed his neck. "But, um, about them. Does she like... like Steven?"

"Does she like Steven?" She closed her eyes and thought it over. "She's not really interested in dating right now."

"Oh."

"But she likes Steven quite a bit. And she likes Wally quite a bit."

"But she isn't the sort to be forward about that, even if she is bold with other things. So would it come down to who made the first move and how it was done?"

"I can't betray the heart of my partner."

"Oh right, sorry." He had drifted into pacing and stopped out in the rain. "Do... do you like me?"

"Do you want me to answer that right now, when they're just friends?"

When it wasn't certain how things would turn out, "I see your point. It is a silly question, I guess. It's late; maybe I'm just tired." He went back over to Wally.

The green haired boy nodded when he came up. "So she's awake too?"

Amigo tensed. "Um, were you listening to us?"

He shook his head. "I couldn't hear you from there. What's going on over at the bridge?"

"I'm not certain. She said something about a young immortal, but that she thinks things will be okay."

"All right. I saw some weird spell lights just a bit ago. But whenever I look over there with the binoculars, they get all blurry."

"If it's a young immortal, it probably doesn't wish to be seen."

"I guess not." He turned the binoculars back at the fire. They could be seen from this shelter at the end of the bridge, but it was a steep angle.

"What are you hoping to see in there?"

Wally frowned. "I'm not sure. Something... answers? But I don't know if they will show here. I have a lot of questions... on a lot of things."

Amigo had been hoping for some answers from Billina. Unfortunately, he hadn't learned anything really useful to help Wally. Some matters of the heart were too much even for him.

* * *

The old wizard might be dead, but his aura lingered on that island. That's why the holy flames rose every new moon. The flames kept the negativity from building to levels that would curse the land surrounding the lake. It kept a corrupted Guardian from returning to that place of dark power.

Billina considered the evening at Verdanturf, of her private conversation with Missingno. It had done quite well to fool another Guardian face-to-face, but signs were sprouting that its desire for forgiveness had been a lie. The devil lied. Was his disciple lying as well? If so, it was nearly as good at it.

A wizard that seemed immortal... it had the sound of forbidden power. Had Missingno's sin been in granting that forbidden power? But how could it gain that unless it was already in league with Lokire? What had been the fatal error? She searched the aura of the fire below.

Why do you bond?

Missingno had asked her that. It had unsettled her. They bonded because that was what made a Guardian what it was. Two hearts grown from one, one heart grown from two. She and Kiri were both separate and together. They were one and two. The decision that one made was the decision of both, even if it was not realized as such. They thought separate and together.

Yet some things one knew and the other did not. So they were not fully one. But they could not exist without each other. So they were not fully two. A Guardian and Wizard were dependent and inseparable. Then why was Missingno still alive when only the bitter emotions of its original partner remained?

The balance had been undone.

Billina glanced back over at Wally and Amigo. The Gardevoir was still awake, even if he'd claimed to be tired. She cooed softly. "Sorry, but my heart is not fully mine to give," she whispered.

Then she went back to watching the bridge. If the other two fell into danger, she would have to go after them. Even as dreadfully mismatched as she would be against Mewtwo in the rain.

* * *

Kiri woke up with a splitting headache. "What a pleasant way to start the morning," she said sarcastically.

'Sorry,' Choora said. 'I evolved last night and it's affecting you. It should get better after a couple of days.'

"Alright, so long as it's gone by the time spring vacation is over."

* * *

April

There was a party in Petalburg, one nearly the whole town was attending. "Petalburg was founded on this day," Wally told Kiri. "So we always have some big party for everyone."

"That's awesome," Kiri said, looking over the crowd. The party included Pokemon too. They even allowed her to bring out Fred, so long as he kept near her and promised to keep his powers limited. Right now, he was having a ball, lowering himself enough for small children to grab a hold of him, then lifting them off the ground for a short time.

All of her Pokemon were out, as well as the three Wally had left. Sandy and Altaria flew overhead or perched on roofs to watch. Billina, Mach, Choora, and Amigo sat to the side and talked with each other. But Samba wouldn't be out of any party. As a Ludicolo, his dancing skills had grown more varied. He delighted the people who watched him, or danced with him. Honey too. She twirled around gracefully, somehow inciting many wallflowers to come dance with her and Samba. However, she wasn't satisfied with this.

After a while, she came up to where the four Pokemon were talking and grabbed the Hitmonchan's arm. "Hey, come dance with me."

"No thanks," he said, pulling his arm away.

"I'm sure you could dance well, Mach," Amigo said. "I've heard that some human fighters will dance to keep themselves in top shape."

"You could dance too, you know," Billina pointed out. "You're naturally graceful."

He blushed. "Oh, but... I'd be embarrassed. What if I tripped?"

Honey giggled. "You float in the air, silly. How could you trip?"

Amigo put a hand over his face and mumbled something about how he might still trip up, somehow.

She tried to grab Mach's hand again, but he saw her this time. "Come on, please? Because I'm your girlfriend?"

"You're not my girlfriend," he said firmly. "Would you give it up?"

She gave him a wide-eyed look. "You don't like me?"

"Not like that."

Growling, she hit him with Ice Punch. "How could you be so mean to me?!"

Now he stared at her. "Wait, how'd you learn to punch like that?"

Honey turned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Nope, not telling. You won't dance with me."

"Aw come on, please?"

"I won't!" She ran off.

"Hang on, we can... talk!" Mach ran after her. "Fred, stop her!"

The Magneton turned from the kids he was playing with. "Aye-aye, Mach. S-T-O-P!" He chased after Honey too.

Amigo chuckled. "She's smiling on the inside, you know."

Choora smiled. "I'm sure."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Legends

Dusack: Most people who encounter this native of Dewford would think that he's an ordinary Abra, just with a scar over his left eye. But Dusack is far from ordinary. He is estimated to be over seven hundred years old and seems to have the wisdom, intelligence, and clairvoyance of an Alakazam. No one has ever managed to catch him. On the other hand, those that do know of his powers will seek him out for answers from his Arcane deck. Among Abras, only he and his descendants are able to cast Arcane Power

He does still have the Abra habit of sleeping for three-quarters of the day, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, he gets listed as a legendary Pokemon. lol. But being that old and powerful as an Abra, he would be a subject of smaller more localized legends.


	25. The Mysterious Disappearance of Lilycove

There was a three day weekend off from school. After checking a map, Kiri concluded that she could possibly make it to Mossdeep for her next Gym challenge. She used her memory of attending Vincent's 'funeral' to get to Lilycove. It was the largest city of Hoenn, with tall buildings and beautiful gardens. There were the bars her Dad had warned her away from and the large Department Store. There was the Master Contest Hall, quaint hotels, small shops, restaurants, a lighthouse, and a white sandy beach. It was the most populated area of the region.

It was as quiet as Mount Pyre.

Kiri went through Lilycove, feeling her skin prickle. It was spooky with a haze of mist and light showers. Even the Pokecenter seemed to be empty, without a healer. The Department Store had its lights dimmed. She should have been able to smell food, but there was only a rain and salty sea smell. There should have been chatter and activity all around her. There was just the quiet rustle of trees.

The first lit building she saw was a bed-and-breakfast overlooking the beach. Made of weathered but study wood, it had a rustic charm that tried to earn forgiveness for its lowly appearance. It was decorated with sea gear, like a fishing net, an anchor, a flag with a Wailmer, and seashells. Kiri went there. In front was a sign: 'Cove Lily- Remember us as the Cove Lily of Lilycove'.

It was the only place that seemed to be occupied. She knocked on the door. "Hello?"

The man who answered looked about the same age as her dad, with receding black hair. "Oh, thank goodness. Are you a guest?"

"Looks that way. The Pokecenter is closed down."

"Come on in; welcome to Cove Lily of Lilycove. I'm sorry, but things have been odd today and I'm not sure why."

"What's happened? There's nobody out here but you."

He sighed. "I'm afraid so. Hang on; I'll get us some hot cocoa and then we can talk."

The innkeeper's name was Harold. Kiri gave him a few minutes to collect himself. "I'm just a Mage," she said, "but I know several wizards and can get one or two to come out to investigate."

"Thanks, lass. I'm afraid that I'm not sure what happened to everyone. I used to run this place with my wife, Carolyn, but she died two years ago."

"Sorry to hear about that."

"I've come back around lately. I was able to get this place back in business a few months back, but it's been in need of repairs and modifications. Yesterday evening, I was busy doing some plumbing when I realized that my reserved guests were late. It was a local couple who wanted a night to themselves, so I knew the ship couldn't be late or the like. I called their house, but got no response. I left to look around, in case they were out on a walk. That's when I noticed that everything was dead quiet."

"Nobody around, like now?"

"Yes, exactly. They never showed up. Nobody's come back. Even the Department Store has been closed and silent the whole time. I thought that maybe someone would come by, but as the hours have gone by and no one did, I was afraid that this wasn't the only abandoned city. Look, even the television signals won't come in. The phones aren't working anywhere and I don't know enough magic to mail letters."

"I should inform some people. Hang on; we'll figure this out."

She wrote a letter to her dad, then to Professor Birch. After a moment's thought, she also wrote to Steven; as a former Champion, he could inform the Elite 4. She mailed the three letters off.

Steven appeared first; shortly after, Norman and Roxanne also came. Brendan and Birch came last. "Goodness, this place is dead," Brendan said.

"I wonder how we've missed this," Roxanne said. "Surely someone would complain about the Department Store being shut down."

"They wouldn't be that busy on a Thursday," Harold said. "It's usually Saturday when it's packed."

"Brendan, go check on some of the smaller towns," Birch said. "Verdanturf, Oldale, Pacifidlog, and Fallarbor I'm most worried about."

"Right away." He flew off.

"What's with the magic gate at the harbor entrance?" Norman asked.

"That glow? I noticed it after everyone was gone. The water's too deep for me to go out and look."

Birch looked around, then nodded. "Norman, go check the beach area. Roxanne, go to the north end of town. I'll look around south here. Kiri, you stay with Harold, just in case."

"Okay, sir," Kiri said.

Nothing happened. When they all returned, Brendan said, "All the other towns are fine. No reports of missing people."

"I saw nothing unusual beyond what has been noted," Roxanne said.

"Me neither," Birch added.

"There's a cave on the north end of the bay," Norman said. "I saw electric lights coming from inside, so I went over to look inside. It's a natural cave, but someone has recently added flooring, lights, and magical devices. I didn't want to explore it alone, so I returned."

"Then we'll investigate that."

Harold stayed behind with Brendan while the rest went to the cave. Kiri didn't understand why she was brought along until they arrived in the cave. "We might trigger some of those devices with our developed mana," Norman told her. "But they shouldn't trigger as easily to you. It's a bit dangerous, but if we run into a sensor like that, we need you to deactivate it."

"Okay."

There was an entrance room with natural walls and various pieces of office equipment. Two halls went past there, but a quick check showed they went to the same location. Further in, they began to hear voices.

"This new light is the Truth! This is the true destiny of humans and Pokemon, to follow the real power of our world instead of the usurper Arceus and his followers. Allow the new light to fill you. This is the Truth."

"This is the Truth," a crowd of people said. They sounded tired, as if they had been listening to this for some time.

"The light of Lokire will tear our world asunder, but it will restore it in a more glorious fashion, into a perfect world where you will not have to worry, you will not have to suffer, you will not have to work hard. This new knowledge may seem strange, but it makes more sense than what has come before. You will know the full power of your soul when this light touches you. Open yourself to it."

Kiri felt like she'd just swallowed a live Weedle. "There's something horrible here."

"If that is his light, it is no such thing," Roxanne said. "This is an evil power."

They arrived at an enormous auditorium, packed with the residents of Lilycove. On the stage were Archie, Maxie, and the two females that were in Hope's memory. There was a large black globe in the middle of the stage, attached to the ground by something like dark blue vines. It radiated that evil power the invaders were feeling. All of the audience seemed exhausted but in rapture of the black sphere.

Archie was the one speaking. He did not see the newcomers in the shadows of the entrance. "Your transformation is almost complete. You will soon feel no pain, no sorrow, no guilt. You will be perfected."

But Maxie did see them. He and the two females soon appeared near the intruders. Before any of the experienced wizards could do anything, one of the women grabbed Kiri's wheelchair and teleported off with her.

"Hey!" Kiri called. "You're going to pay for that."

"Don't interfere with the work of Lokire," she replied, then teleported away.

She was left in a dark room. But that wasn't an issue. She cast Flash to look around. To her dismay, there was not a single door into or out of this room. There were vents, so she didn't have to worry about suffocating. There was a black column at one end of the room with no apparent purpose. Also, there was a definite teleport block, unless one had some key or device to pass it by. Key...

She summoned Choora. "There's a teleport block in here, I know. Can you sense some way around it?"

The Alakazam gazed into one of her spoons, thinking. She turned around, looking at everything in reflection. Then she brought out her Arcane cards and looked through them for a reading. Finally, she shook her head. 'Not without the right device. We might be able to slip through, but I'd rather not risk it. However...' she looked into the spoon again.

"What is it?"

Choora pointed to the black column. 'You saw an evil device in the auditorium above us. That is carrying power to that device. It's protected, but Fred could interrupt the mechanical components, stopping the device and freeing the people above before their hearts are sealed.'

"It'll end that problem, at least." She called out Fred and explained the situation to him. "So would you stop that?"

He spun his main body around. "Certainly, leave it to me! E-L-E-C-T-R-I-C-I-T-Y, electricity is mine!" While he chanted this, he attached himself to the column and started fiddling with its power.

The lights flickered as Fred's magnets activated. The column retaliated by sending black sparks into the air, but the Magneton didn't let it bother him. He kept right at it.

"Dang, but this thing is T-O-U-G-H. I'll take it down and save everyone, don't worry."

A worried look crossed Choora's face. 'No, this might be too much for him,' she told Kiri. 'The evil device is strong now that it almost has everyone.'

"Be careful, Fred."

Fred's three eyes narrowed at the column. "No, I won't be defeated by this thing! We can't let evil thrive. I will destroy this thing or my name isn't F-R-E-D Fred!" Focusing his power, he sent an enormous jolt of electricity into the column.

Upstairs, there was the sound of a glass object exploding, followed by screams and yelling. The evil magic lashed out at Fred, throwing him onto the floor. But instead of dissipating with the destruction of the sphere, the evil power in the room condensed.

"Ugh," Fred said, drooping against Kiri's wheelchair.

She patted him, but looked around warily. "You'll be okay, Fred. You did a great job."

But as she put her hand on Billina's Pokeball, Choora stopped her. 'No. Don't call her out.'

Kiri felt a flicker of annoyance from the Blaziken. "Why not?"

'We could be in a lot more trouble if she's out. I'm not sure how, but I sense it strongly.'

"Did you come seeking glory?" a stranger called out to her. "Or did it just find you?"

"Who is it?" she asked.

The Pokemon that appeared looked as if it had come straight from Choora's Arcane deck, Lokire with his triplet snake tails. He looked even stranger in person, for the card artist had missed one detail. The middle snake had two stick-like formations growing out of its head. Various strings came from those sticks and controlled the main body as if it were a marionette. The movements of that body were jerky and loose, while his snakes moved smoothly and naturally.

But it was the marionette body that spoke, not the snakes. "Is it who you expected? Or did you not come looking for one like me?"

"I had no idea you would be here personally."

"Still, you ruined my pretty sphere." The snake twisted the control stick, causing him to twitch his long ears and lift his hand to his chin. "What sort of Guardian do you have, Mage?"

'Don't,' Choora repeated.

"A great one," Kiri replied.

"I'm always curious about those strange Pokemon. They're not like the others." When it became apparent to him that she wasn't going to call hers out, he floated closer to her. His yellow body turned red-orange. "I suppose I could forgive you for acting out of ignorance. I am the true power in this world. I could do anything for you if you would follow me."

"No, I'm fine as it is."

Lokire tilted his head. "I could even allow you to walk again. The others would have you suffer, but I am gracious."

"In exchange for helping you? No, I'd rather not."

"You don't understand. I'm seeking to bring in a perfect world..."

"I don't believe you and I'm not going to listen. You ruined Hope, and that's all I need to know."

"Hmm. You are a stubborn one." The lead snake put the marionette's hands together, then drew them apart, summoning a reddish black blade. "Then your heart must pay for what you have destroyed." Then he sliced right through all three of Fred's units, killing him instantly. His Pokeball splintered, then turned to dust.

"Fred!" Part of Kiri's mind hoped he was alive, but the destruction of the ball was a clear sign of his death.

Lokire swung the deadly blade to point at her. Despite the looseness of his body, the blade was firm and steady. "And this is why you don't mess with me."

"Kiri?" Norman called as he teleported into the room. He froze when he saw Lokire. Laura was with him.

The eyes of the central snake and marionette took on a look of pure hatred when he saw the Glaceon. He pulled his blade back. Choora noticed and quickly drew one of her Arcane cards, Nine of Cups. Hydro Blast erupted from the card right into Lokire, knocking him into the wall. Hissing, he leapt into the air and retreated.

Norman ran over and knelt by Kiri. "Are you okay?"

"He killed Fred," she replied, shocked by the death. "Fred destroyed that sphere, but Lokire killed him."

Norman touched the Magneton's body. "He was a noble Pokemon; it's a terrible loss."

Laura walked over slowly, her ears hanging low with some residual fear. "Choora, I believe you just saved my life," she said shakily.

"But it was my idea to have Fred attack the pillar in the first place," she said with regret. "I couldn't save him."

* * *

Instead of challenging the Mossdeep Gym, Kiri and her family wound up at Mount Pyre to say goodbye to Fred.

One of the priestesses inscribed his name and kind on a gravestone inside. Most Pokemon were cremated and their ashes spread over the mountain or the lake, whichever the Trainer preferred. Since he was a Steel type, he was melted down and what metal could be extracted was used to create the structures on this sacred mountain. Someone had thoughtfully kept out some of the metal to reform into a small heart-shaped charm, which he gave to Kiri free of charge.

While his death had saved thousands of people, Kiri still felt it should not have happened.

* * *

Choora felt bad. She may have saved Laura, and therefore Norman. But she hadn't been able to do anything for Fred. Everyone felt the loss of their teammate and friend, but she felt it hardest.

On a whim, she left Petalburg and went south. Teleport couldn't work very far, but there were hundreds of rocks on the way to Dewford that she could target. When she got to the island, she located her father at Kyogre's shrine. He was asleep on the pillar. Once she arrived, he teleported off.

He came back a moment later, awake. It was odd to meet him like this again, she being fully developed and he still at his first stage. But as Mewtwo had said, there was something different about him that she now noticed. Something about his scar shimmered with importance despite his small sleepy eyes.

"Hello father," she said.

"Hello, Choora." He took her hand. "The death of a friend is a terrible responsibility to bear."

She sat by him. "Yes. I wasn't prepared... none of us were."

"Death comes for us all, and yet this one was unnatural and undeserved."

She looked down at him. "That acuteness is one of the things I've been wondering about lately. You're more powerful than an Abra should be. And older, if the tales are true."

He nodded. "I know."

"That's all you tell anyone."

"That's all I could. It was until one of my children mastered Psychic powers and came back to me. That's how long I was told to keep quiet."

"Until one of us came back?"

He brought out his Arcane card and seemed to idly shuffle them. But he drew the Devil card. "This is who scarred my face."

"Lokire?"

"When I was young, I witnessed something that I should not have seen. And when I should have acted, I did nothing."

(Seven hundred and fifty years ago)

The Sableyes were pestering him, keeping him from his proper rest. Dusack decided to go out to the shore to sleep for a while. He wasn't sure what other Pokemon were there, but certainly there wouldn't be any dark-loving Sableyes. And if he slept near the shrine of Kyogre, even fewer predator Pokemon would dare hunt him.

He got a good hour of sleep in before he was disturbed again. Once he woke up from teleporting, he realized that a teenaged boy had tried to capture him. He could hear him complaining. "Rats. I finally find one and it's gone like that. Hmph." He looked over at Kyogre's shrine.

The sharp aura of the boy indicated that he was a Mage, clever and intelligent. Dusack was intrigued. What would it be like to work for a smart Trainer? And would the boy leave the island? He would like to see other places. He teleported back, to test the boy and see if it would be worth it.

The boy turned to him and grinned, glad to see his luck going up. But what happened next seemed to come completely out of the blue. Latios rushed overhead, flying low, but then sharply climbing. Lokire dropped out of the sky, bearing a blood-red sword. Screaming, he glanced over at Dusack.

The Abra was frozen by the intense hatred from the devil. Lokire was infuriated at the escaping bird and in the mood to strike whatever he saw next. Dusack felt fairly certain that he was about to die.

In a flash of blind heroism, the boy Mage rushed over to grab Dusack and get him out of the way. Lokire's sword killed the boy instantly; the tip of it slashed Dusack's left eye, less than an inch from killing him as well. The boy's Guardian Totodile summoned himself, looking shocked. "Nathan!" He clasped his partner's arm.

Lokire growled softly. "Weak. You can't do anything."

"B-but we just started," the Totodile sobbed, putting his snout against his dead partner's chest. Trails of mana began to drain from his body, undoing the magic that had brought him into the world. "I don't want it to end now."

Forgetting about Latios for the moment, Lokire turned to the Guardian. "It doesn't have to," he said, softly now. "Would you do anything to bring him back?"

Dusack was about to tell the young Guardian not to agree; it was foolish to work with the devil, even in the face of death. However, Lokire's center snake turned and glared at him, stealing the moment he had to stop things from happening.

The Guardian hesitated a moment. He knew he wasn't supposed to do this, but he felt it was unfair that he was facing this decision this early. And alone, for Latios was nowhere in sight now. Then he nodded. "I care about him. We should have a second chance."

Lokire smiled smugly as he put his sword away. "I can fix things. Just watch."

Then he snapped his fingers and disintegrated the Totodile's form. He remained alive as something different, as a dense glittering fog. Lokire then took what he had and placed it within the young Mage. He revived; the only sign of the sword was a pair of long scars on his chest and back. But the boy was no longer human. He looked human, but his aura felt different. He felt like Lokire and the changed Guardian now, a greasy evil that repelled Dusack.

The Guardian clung to his Mage. "Thank goodness; you're alive again."

The Mage looked blankly at Lokire, then to Dusack. There was nothing in him now, dead thoughts, dead heart, dead soul. While the Abra might have been thinking of leaving the island, he was not going to leave with this group. He teleported away.

Several minutes later, he began feeling dizzy. The cut was still bleeding. "Will I die because I left?"

"No," Latios told him. "But you may wish otherwise."

Strong magic hit him and the blood finally cleared. Dusack looked around cautiously and found Latios perched on a rock beside him. "I still feel strange... was I corrupted too?"

The bird twisted his neck around and looked at him. "No, but being so close to that unholy transformation has affected you. You will find that your powers have changed." Then Latios looked back at the sea and shook his head. "Lokire may seek to corrupt you, since you were a witness. We are not sure what this forebodes, and yet... the balance was broken." He closed his eyes.

"I'm just an Abra," Dusack said, fearful. "My power sleeps. I couldn't do anything if he comes for me."

"Then you must remain silent. That may be the wisest course for you. I can offer some protection, but it will mean a large sacrifice to avoid drawing his attention."

He felt suspicious, after what he had seen Lokire do. So he asked, "Do you hold one maker of this world, or many?"

"Many, for we all worked together to build this world. None of us hold enough power to create a world singly."

He nodded. Lokire would not answer that way. "Thank you for your protection."

"Then Dusack, heed my words well. You cannot leave this island. You cannot bond with any human. You cannot speak of what you have seen or heard today, not even with me. You will always bear that scar, as there is nothing I can do to remove it. But for what you can do," he summoned a deck of cards that appeared in front of the young Abra, "You can help others with what you see in these cards, and what you see in your dreams. Word of you may spread, but it will be positive and therefore Lokire will ignore it."

He took the cards and felt knowledge of their mysteries begin to open up to him. "It sounds tough, but... it would be worse under him."

"Correct. You..." he tilted his head, "you must obey those conditions until a sign appears. That sign is when one of your children grows to the fullest potential of your kind, to an Alakazam, and returns to you for advice. This will happen; you will live until then."

"How long would that take?"

"That I cannot tell. Keep your faith, Dusack." Then Latios flew away.

(Present day, 04/19)

"So you'll die because I came back?"

He shook his head. "Not for that. Not yet. I have not unturned the final card. But I was finally able to tell what happened." He paused. "I feel that could help you solve some problem."

"It does," she replied, thinking of Missingno.

"But you have returned for advice and some comfort. Stay with me, as you can."

She nodded. "Thank you. I misunderstood you and your motives. You were always looking for the best for me."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Latios and Latias: The spirits of romantic love and marriage, these two are among the few immortals for whom a specific gender can be applied with certainty. They are recognized in many regions and are spotted perhaps once a century within each. Never apart, they have been known to take young Pokemon under their wings as they are unable to have children of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Fred... he never did anything wrong, only be himself.


	26. The Point of No Return

June

At Slateport, Captain Stern was leading a small group of fellow sea explorers. "The Dive spell only works to a depth of a thousand feet," he explained to the newest member. "But Devon's Deep Diver allows this vehicle to reach up twice that depth."

"And research on how our submarine performs will allow them to make a Deep Diver capable of even greater depths," another added.

Stern nodded. "There is so much about the sea that we do not know. We will be breaking new ground with every Deep Dive we make."

"Amazing. Are you sure it works?"

"Of course I'm sure. We've already gone down a thousand feet for an hour without trouble. Now we shall test this sub to her limits!"

But when they entered the shipyard's building dock, there was a man in black clothes and a white mask on top of the idling sub. The red-haired ninja laughed. "Thanks for all your hard work," Maxie said. "Now we can complete this mission. Forward!" He vanished into the sub, which rushed out into the open seas.

For a moment, Stern was stunned, his dreams crushed by the theft. Then he screamed something the censors would find unprintable.

* * *

Kiri came upon a swimmer. She rolled up to him. "Excuse me, but can you point me to Mossdeep?"

The swimmer paused to talk, then noticed that she was riding her wheelchair over the water. "Uhh, um, it's that island there," he stammered out, pointing to the southeast. "Young Wizard."

"I'm just a Mage, but thanks." She went to Mossdeep.

It was a beautiful island community filled with fragrant trees and flowers. Most of the buildings, including the Gym, were on the lower plains. Up on a high hill there was an Observatory. There was still plenty of time, so Kiri went to the Observatory.

On the way, a little girl nearly ran into her. She smiled. "Hey, careful there, speedy."

The girl giggled. She had long black hair with blue highlights and a green gingham dress. Under her right arm was a long-eared black doll with a zippered mouth and an oval-shaped head. "Sorry. Have you seen my mommy's puppy?"

There was a yip as a long-haired orange and red dog bounded to them. The young Growlithe licked the girl's face. "Gotcha this time!"

She giggled.

"Nice puppy. Excuse me."

"Bye!" She and the Growlithe ran off to the beach.

There were several magicians and a Wizard working in the Observatory. One of the magicians noticed her. "Good afternoon. Here for a visit?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was curious. What's this place for?"

"Observing the heavens for astrological readings. There's not much to see during the day, as we just do translations, but if we're not busy at night, we might show you our telescope."

"That sounds neat. May I come later?"

"Tonight? I think that'll be okay."

Kiri shrugged. "Maybe not tonight. I have a Gym Challenge to do and that might wear me out."

"Yes, it would. Well, good luck."

Since they weren't doing much, she left, merrily racing down the hill, then jerking herself to a stop before she rolled off the short cliffs. Then she cleared her mind and entered the Gym. Her strategy had come this morning, by unexpected means.

...

Kiri woke up to the smell of bacon. While she was getting dressed, Choora summoned herself. 'Hey, can we talk?'

She nodded. "Sure thing Choora. Sorry I haven't used you much."

'It's fine; I understand that you must work with all of us to move ahead. Actually, it's about the upcoming Gym.'

"Really? There's two more, one in Mossdeep and one in Sootopolis. Both are over the ocean."

'I know. I had a dream last night that showed the Mossdeep Gym. It's belongs to my type.'

"Psychics? That'll be tough."

She nodded. 'But with the proper strategy, it should be easy. I think I know how.'

"So what's your idea?"

She held out her silver spoon. 'I can tell, to some extent, what our opponents mean to do. But such foresight is normally brief, by the next second. Those at the Mossdeep Gym will be able to do so as well. And the Leaders, they will be able to communicate silently with each other and their Pokemon, as well as slightly predicting moves. Therefore, when we enter the Gym, we must have no strategy immediately in mind.'

"How can we do that? We need to have some strategy to defeat them."

'If you trust in us, there may be a way. I feel that Samba and Honey will be your best duo. Use spells to protect them, but allow them to attack naturally. Encourage them, but let them know ahead of time that you will not be giving any orders. Follow this path and you should win.'

Kiri thought on it, then nodded. "Okay, we'll do that."

Choora smiled slightly. 'Thanks for believing in me.'

...

As she approached the twins, Kiri only let herself notice what was there. There were sliding tiles that pushed challengers away, but as a Mage, she was able to bypass that part of the Gym. There were several Gym Trainers, all with the gear of a psychic: crystals on necklaces, tattoos of magic symbols, enchanted clothing. At the back of this Gym were the young twins she had met at Mt Chimney.

Although of different genders, they were identical otherwise. They were ten years old, still young enough that they couldn't be told apart by body type. The girl did have longer hair, held back by long pins into a ponytail, while the boy had shorter hair tied up neatly. They both wore identical outfits, blue pants and shirts edged with yellow trim. Their Guardians were even twins, identical Espeons that seemed to enjoy mirroring each other's every move.

"Hello again, Mage Kiri," the girl said.

"I am Tate," the boy said.

"I am Liza. We knew you would come today."

"But we cannot see the battle itself."

"Which is good, because what would it be worth..."

"If it were already decided?"

"Good, cause I like things that way," Kiri replied.

"As it should be," Liza said. The shield and three orbs appeared. "This will be a Double battle."

"Two Pokemon alone must fight on each team."

"As twins, we know each other's thoughts."

"As psychics, our Pokemon know our commands."

"Both without a word spoken."

"Can you face such adversity?" They summoned their Pokemon, Tate calling a Solrock and Liza calling a Lunatone.

Kiri summoned Samba and Honey. They had already spoken, so the Pokemon knew of Choora's plan. Noting the Leaders' choices, Kiri cast Protect.

A good move, for the Solrock started off by throwing Flamethrower at the Ice Pokemon. Protect absorbed the attack, then vanished. Samba then cast the battle version of Surf, summoning a massive wave of water to crash into their opponent's team. They all got soaked, and hurt in the case of the twins, Lunatone, and Solrock. But as it was enchanted water, it wouldn't take long to dry.

As the wave was crashing over them, Honey started to cast Powder Snow. She got lucky and froze the Lunatone while it was casting a boost spell over itself. Then the twins cast Psywave, sending a rainbow wave of light at both Pokemon. Honey was able to blunt the spell's force with her natural psychic powers, but Samba was knocked onto his back. Kiri cast Protect again.

It failed to appear and the Solrock threw rocks at Honey. She avoided most of them and used Ice Punch to weaken it further. In the meantime, Samba scrambled back to his feet and cast Surf again. That was enough to knock out the two opposing Pokemon.

"That was one of the quickest battles we have seen where we did not win," Liza said.

"So you attempted to counter our powers by trusting your Pokemon fully to do their best?"

"You have trained them well to be able to do that successfully."

Kiri nodded. "We've worked together enough that I knew it could be done."

"You well deserve this Mind Badge," Tate said, before enchanting her card with a silver light. "It will enhance the special abilities of all your Pokemon."

"And it will allow you to go underwater without need of air."

"Really? That's great."

"This is the symbol for Dive," Liza said, drawing it in the air with glowing magic. It looked a simple fish in a bubble. "The protective bubble will respond psychically to your wishes."

"All people have some psychic and magic powers, but few of us develop them."

"It does take a special person to do so."

Tate winked. "And Dive should prove very useful in your last badge Challenge."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

"The next spell we have for you is Calm Mind," Liza went on.

"It raises both the power and defense,"

"Of purely magical skills."

Tate then drew a glowing symbol like his sister had, this one like a yin-yang mark. Kiri looked at it, then considered it. "Okay, like this?" She clasped her hands together and cast the symbol. She felt her mana grow more vibrant.

"Yes, that is right," Tate said.

* * *

As the night began to grow, Kiri went up to the Observatory. The battle hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. Although, she had a feeling that the twins weren't expecting her to be that powerful. They didn't know all, even though they did know a lot.

"Isis!" One of the astrologists was standing on the path to the observatory. With her was an upset Growlithe. "Isis, come back here."

"Did something happen?" Kiri asked.

"My little girl is out playing too late. She normally comes in by sunset, but only my Growlithe came back."

"Is she about this high," Kiri held her hand up about three feet off the ground, "with long black hair and a doll with a zipper for a mouth?"

She nodded. "Yes, have you seen her?"

"Earlier today. I can help you look."

"Thank you. Just bring her back here if you find her." She turned to a small wooded area. "Isis, playtime is over! Oh, I hope it isn't that doll."

"What about her doll?"

"It's a Banette doll. I'm pretty sure it's not the Pokemon Banette, but the twins have been busy today, so I couldn't check with them.

"I haven't heard of that Pokemon. Hang on; let me see." She opened and looked for new entries. Because she had seen the Lunatone and Solrock back at Meteor Falls, there were only two: Growlithe and Bannette. It said that Shuppets, the spirits of revenge, could evolve into Bannettes, Pokemon that look like dolls, but were capable of possessing young children and putting them in danger. "Um, looks like it was the Pokemon."

"Really?" the mother asked. "I don't know where she picked up that doll, but I thought it was harmless. Oh, this isn't good."

"Then we'd better do this the fast way." Kiri released Choora from her Pokeball. "We need to find a little girl that has a Bannette. She should be on this island."

Choora concentrated for a moment, then nodded. 'She is safe, for now, but the tide approaches. Down by the western beach here.'

Kiri relayed this information. "That's her favorite spot to play," the mother said as they went down to that beach. "But she usually knows better than to stay out so late."

'The twins are not here either,' Choora added. 'There's been a meeting called of the Leaders.'

"Do you know what about?"

'It's hidden from me, but most likely the current situation with the missing orbs.'

The tidal sandbar was shrinking. Isis was standing in front of what seemed to be a rip in the air. Something dark and otherworldly seemed to be on the other side. Isis stood there motionless, clutching her Bannette doll to her chest.

"What are you doing, Isis?" her mother asked. "Come here; it's dangerous when the tide is coming in."

Then the incoming tide froze. All sound froze. Time had stopped.

The Bannette winked. 'You will come with me, yes?'

'I don't like it,' Choora told Kiri. 'But it seems to be trying to help us.'

"Why should we follow you?" Kiri asked.

'There is something you should know, yes? Trouble stirs, but maybe not as expected. No harm will come to you or Miss Isis, promise. She took me in when I was lonely.'

After hearing this, and noticing the others were frozen as well, Kiri nodded. "Okay, but we'd better come back as soon as our business is done."

'Of course, of course.'

Isis broke out of her trance like state. "You can talk to my Annie?"

Kiri nodded and rolled up to her. "Annie wants us to come with her."

"Where are we going?"

Annie slipped out of Isis' arms. 'Come, come. Place of secrets. You only come because it is important.' She hopped through the rip.

"We'll protect you," Kiri told Isis. "And Annie will too."

She nodded gravely. "Okay." She put a hand on the wheelchair and walked with her through the rip in space.

Annie was hopping up and down on the other side. It was like a spooky old forest, with twisted trees and a weedy path. Behind Annie was a powerful and enormous Pokemon. He had segmented plates of armor along his body and six sturdy legs. He looked very much like a Bug, if there was one taller than a two story building. He radiated the magic of Dragons and Ghosts in such a way that Kiri could tell he could likely kill them in one clean blow.

His image shimmered for a moment, then he reformed himself. He was the same shape as before, but now stood only six feet tall. He bowed his head. "Greetings, child of Mossdeep, and you, young Mage. I am called Giratina."

* * *

A watery presence filled his attention. "Don't disturb us," she whispered. "The peace may be enforced, but it is peace."

A distant voice of the ground reached him. "Don't disturb us. We seek to protect, but black flames await."

And someone from the sky added, "Two live as one. Three are powerful in unity, but should one fail, they all fail. This is truth, whether Guardian of a Wizard or Guardian of a region. This is truth, whether Pokemon or Human."

Vincent blinked. Flickering torchlight showed rough cave walls of red rock. He was lying on the floor, various pebbles jabbing into his back. He got up and grabbed a water bottle from his bag. After drinking it, he asked, "Where are we?"

"In the underwater cave we dove to," Missingno said. "The cultists have stolen the Slateport submarine and we're here to find out why."

He didn't remember any of that. "Huh? Why us?"

"You swore by your honor as League Champion that you would. Stern was very grateful." He paused. "You don't remember again?"

He shook his head. "No."

The strange Pokemon sighed. "I'm deeply sorry. You agreed to help me and you're suffering for it. I don't want to fail again as a Guardian. But don't worry. Maybe if we defeat these goons, it'll be enough to redeem me."

Vincent wondered what Missingno was really trying to do. "Yeah, should be. Let's go." He walked towards the torch light.

There were four adults here, two men and two women, all in CCP uniform. They had three orbs that looked like glass, but had too much mana to be ordinary glass. They were chanting before a large underground lake. There was a deep watery presence, a slumbering power. Vincent challenged them...

...

And they were gone.

He blinked. The three orbs were floating in front of him, unharmed. "Huh?"

"This is not good," Missingno said. "Let's get these back to Mount Pyre. Then I can pray for the forgiveness of Arceus."

Vincent didn't remember much of how they got to Mount Pyre either. But he found himself in front of the submarine at the foot of the sacred mountain. It was early morning, judging by the sunlight. As he squinted, eyes adjusting to the change, Tate and Liza approached him. "You have gotten the stolen orbs and the submarine," Tate said.

"Well done, Champion," Liza added before they both bowed.

Missingno was in his Feraligator disguise. "Let's return these quickly, to avoid disturbing the immortals any longer," Vincent said.

No, he thought, that was Victor speaking. It was like Vincent did not exist around people other than Missingno, Wally, and Kiri.

A few other Gym Leaders and the Elite 4 were at the sacred Mountain as well. They walked with Victor up to the shrine. As always, Victor dazzled the crowd by recounting the adventure which Vincent hardly remembered. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was so hard to think these days.

At the shrine, he placed the three orbs in their proper places. They shone for a little while in the morning sun. And then they shattered into dust. A nervous silence fell over the group, but within the mountain, there came many ghostly wails. The formerly calm atmosphere became one of fear and uncertainty

Roxanne spoke first. "What's going on? What's going to happen now?"

Rayquaza answered with a roar. The sky dragon descended again. "Someone here has made a wish to destroy the orbs," he growled. "Tell those in the sacred cities that they must keep their benefactor calm. There is an outside force driving us, and if not stopped, we shall go berserk and things will become dire." He then flew off towards Fortree.

The group looked to each other nervously. It was Victor/Vincent, Roxanne, Norman, Wattson, Tate, Liza, and the Elite 4. But who there would want to break the truce between the immortals?

'I'll protect you,' Missingno reassured Vincent. 'No matter what, I won't fail you.'

* * *

Wallace was in his Gym with his apprentice Parker. "You've got the spell right,"

"Good."

"But you don't have it down."

The boy was surprised. "What? But I've been casting it right."

"You're still taking time to concentrate. When it comes to battle, your actions must be fluid and immediate. These actions and spells should be so known to your body that you do them without hardly thinking. I take on challengers at a slow pace, but that is because I must abide by League rules. In top form, it must be a quick and steady beat that is never dropped." He snapped his fingers three times while adding, "Never once stop."

Parker nodded. His talents were forming. "Never once stop... okay, I'll work more on it."

"Constantly."

The door to the Gym came open as a man with a Grumpig came in. "Wallace! Everyone needs to get out!"

"What?" He noticed how serious his aura was; this was a dire threat, no joke. "Parker, teleport others to the center. Let's go." Those who could teleport on their own left; the rest were sent out by Parker and Wallace until it was just them, and then they left.

Right as they appeared at the Pokecenter, there was a rumble from the earth below their feet. "What is this?" Parker asked, holding onto the sign.

"I don't know," the Grumpig's trainer said. "But she just panicked and said everyone had to leave the Gym."

"Something stirs that should sleep," Cassie said, nervously tapping her front hooves together.

Running through everything he knew of Sootopolis, Wallace's eyes were soon turned to the Cave of Origins on the north shore. The spiritual energy of that place had been growing weaker, something that greatly worried him. He was about to tell his Trainers that he was going to check it out when a red light shot out of the cave entrance. It went through the Gym and demolished the building. As broken water pipes began spraying new fountains everywhere, Groudon materialized.

The sunlight reaching into Sootopolis suddenly intensified. It reflected off the white surfaces and became almost blinding and burning. The great red reptile blinked for a moment, adjusting being awake. He flexed his claws, then leapt up to the hole of the volcano. Once there, he roared. The sound reverberated through the town and through their bones. A short time later, there was an answering roar as Kyogre called back. From below, Wallace could see Groudon tracking his rival's movements to the south, going east.

But he didn't seem interested in a fight right now. Groudon jumped off the volcano. By the rumbles of his motions, he was headed east as well.

Wallace turned to Parker. "Call Pacifidlog and Slateport; warn them Kyogre is headed towards them. I'll call Dewford and Lavaridge."

The apprentice nodded, then followed him inside to make what warnings they could.

* * *

Brawly was in the middle of a battle with a Trainer. It wasn't going well for his opponent, a young man with a Lairon. However, lessons like this were necessary, even if it earned him the ire of the Trainers. They would face far less merciful opponents in later battles if he went easy on them.

But something at the edge of his mind told him that something wasn't right. That something was vindicated when the Sapphire appeared in the room, glowing bright blue.

"Hold it," Brawly said so firmly that everyone in the Gym froze. He gazed into the gem and soon discerned its meaning. He snatched it out of the air, then recalled his Hariyama. "Sorry, we'll have to redo this battle. I have more important business to attend to." Then he ran out of the Gym.

He nearly ran into Nurse Joy, who looked flustered. "Brawly, Kyogre is..."

"Coming, I know. Get everyone away from the shore, just in case." Then he ran down the rocky path to the shrine on the other shore.

It was one of the problems of having trained very few Psychic or Flying types, he thought. He could Fly to other towns, but couldn't teleport across his own island. And just as he thought it, a familiar scarred Abra appeared on the side of the path.

'I will assist,' Dusack said before teleporting Brawly to the shrine. His Infernape appeared as well, looking frazzled.

"Thanks, Dusack," he said, patting the old Abra on the head.

'This is too important and your time is up.'

Right then, Kyogre leapt out of the water and crossed over Dewford Island, just like she had crossed over Slateport. She landed with a crash that sent a tall wave smashing into her shrine. The downpour that followed her drenched everything as much as her waves were. Brawly brought the Sapphire over there and waited, holding one hand over his eyes so that he could see.

The shore waters were shallow, but Kyogre glided over the waves to meet with him. "Greetings, Wizard Brawly."

He bowed to her. "Greetings, Master Kyogre. What has awakened you?"

* * *

Flannery clutched the Ruby, finding some comfort in its pinkish-red glow. Still, it was hard to be calm when face to face with a being that could raise mountains and then smash them flat in seconds. It didn't help that his voice growled within her bones. "Lokire has been up to mischief. It has someone hiding it, so we cannot locate the devil."

"What can I do to help you?"

He chuckled. "No need to be so nervous, my lady." He looked up at the sky, finally bright and sunny. But not like normal. This was like an enormous magnifying glass had been placed over Mount Chimney "And yet... do not let anyone disturb me. The evil powers seek to incite us and we know it. I must have peace to fight off its power. This devil needs to be found, or else I shall lose control of myself. None of us desire that, save Lokire. I will set a wall at that entrance to where only one with the Ruby may enter. Keep that sacred gem safe."

* * *

_Pokenav Extras_

People

Tate Tivis  
Job: Gym Leader/Sage  
Hobby: playing marbles  
Battle Strategy: I work with my sister.  
Secret: he gets really annoyed when ignorant people tell him to act his age

Liza Tivis  
Job: Gym Leader/Sage  
Hobby: styling hair  
Battle Strategy: I work with my brother  
Secret: she hopes that her sister Isis will be relatively normal

_Pokemon_

Lunatone  
Trainer: Liza  
Team: 4th Tier  
Nature: Quirky  
Likes: eclipses  
Dislikes: not having hands

Solrock  
Trainer: Tate  
Team: 4th Tier  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: fire  
Dislikes: the spell Double Team

_Legends_

Giratina: One of the most terrifying immortals to meet face-to-face, Giratina is the Guide of Lost Souls. He watches over all Ghost Pokemon as his children. Most souls of the dead settle down within 40 days; however, a few do go astray or get lost. Giratina seeks out these lost souls and guides them to where he lives, which is described as the reverse side of our world. Whatever happens to those souls is uncertain. The Ghost Pokemon do not speak of their father's secrets.

_Magic_

Two are one/three are powerful: This is a fact of magic that has been around since magic could be learned. 'Two are one' refers to the bond of Guardian and Wizard, although it also is about the relationships between some immortals, such as Latios and Latias.

'Three are powerful' can be said about many things. Special spells often require three casters, or one main and two supports. Many immortal trios also exist. Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza have been described as a somewhat shaky trio, but a more certain group is Raikou, Entei, and Suicune of Johto.


	27. Challenging Waters

Oddly enough, Giratina had offered tea with little cakes and cookies. Isis was delighted and soon sat at the table eating a cupcake that looked like a skull. Her Bannette sat beside her and somehow drank the tea without touching the cup. The tablecloth was more appropriate for Halloween than a tea party, being black with purple spirits and orange pumpkins. The chairs were made of rough wood with knots and twigs.

Kiri parked herself at an empty spot by the table. "Interesting setting," she said, looking around at the gnarled old trees and dusty road.

"Sorry," Giratina apologized sincerely. "I don't have guests often. Most people don't want to speak with the Guardian of the Dead."

Kiri glanced at Choora. The Alakazam looked at the treats, then noted, 'Everything is safe. He just seems to misunderstand appropriate host manners.'

She drank some of the tea; it was warm with some nutmeg and cloves. "We understand. So what did you want to talk to us about?"

He clicked his mandibles, then began. "First of all, I am what I said I was and nothing more. Despite what people fear, my only concern is to guide the dead when they become lost on their final journey. In Hoenn, souls are attracted to Mount Pyre. Once their fears and anxieties are soothed, they travel to the Cave of Origin. There, their lives are broken down and remade so that they can begin life again. That is how it is supposed to go."

"How it's supposed to go?"

"Correct. Someone has stolen the orbs from Mount Pyre. Although they represent the truce of Rayquaza, they serve another purpose. They help in calming the souls of Mount Pyre. Now that they are gone, my cycle has been stalled. Fewer souls make it to the Cave of Origins and those at Mount Pyre become easily stressed and upset. The cycle must continue, or the dead will overcome the living. I am their Guardian, yet I do not wish this. The souls of the dead suffer and need to be healed."

"That sounds dreadful," Kiri replied, thinking of Fred.

"It is. That is why I must ask you of the living world to return the sacred orbs to their places, therefore returning the peace of Mount Pyre. Should their gleam darken or shatter, you will need to summon me at the peak But this task will prove difficult, as there is someone working against us."

"So if you're not the devil Pokemon, do you know who is?"

"I know of it, but it changes its name to fool us. We speak of it by the name Arceus gave it, Lokire. Sometimes it even pretends to be one of us, which is how Darkrai and myself have come to be feared. But I can tell you of its origins.

"It is said to have appeared when the world was chaos, as Arceus did, but it wanted the chaos to remain. The pair fought and Arceus won the power of creation from it. Mew transported him to another world to rest from the fierce battle and so that he knew what lay ahead of him in bringing order to the world. When he returned, the chaotic one was still there. After fighting it off once more, Arceus set about to shaping the world. I could go on, but the full story takes days to tell.

"The chaotic one was enraged at the doings of the other immortals, and thus its heart turned to evil. It began doing whatever it could to destroy order; it planted seeds of discontent, it tempted others into chaotic behaviors, it tried to destroy what was made. Eventually, it was put into an enchanted sleep for a brief time. When it awoke, it was greatly reduced in power. It seeks to regain its position as Master of Chaos, but in order for that to happen, someone has to grant it those powers. And it is an expert at temptation; it will start off giving you whatever you wish for, but in time, you will be giving it everything as its slave.

"If Lokire is in disguise, you won't know it. It's too cunning. You will have to listen to its words and find the lies within. Other immortals will not lie; they may withhold information, as they find it amusing to play games with mortals. But they will not lie. The devil lies with nearly every word." He nodded to Choora. "This one may sense it if she is within its presence again. I know you are not fond of the dead, but for their sake, please assist in this."

"Even one like myself would not deny a ghost their final rest," Choora replied. "I'll attempt to seek out these orbs."

"Lies are bad," Isis piped in.

"Yeah," Kiri replied. "Thanks for that information, and the snack."

"Yeah, thanks Giratina." Isis hopped off her chair to give the immortal a hug.

The sound he made was spooky and scratchy, like tree branches brushing against a windowpane, but it seemed to be laughter. "You're welcome. Child of my line, would you stay with this girl?"

"Yes, yes, I will be loyal to her all my days," Anne said.

"You have my blessings."

Isis giggled. "Thanks, Mr. Giratina." Then she yawned.

"I'd better take her back to her mother," Kiri said. "She's likely to be really upset now."

"I'm sorry for keeping you both," the Guardian of the Dead replied. "But thank you for your company. I would do this more often, but most people are frightened of me." He nodded, making another portal appear. "Oh yes, and before I forget. I know it won't be easy to reclaim the orbs, so I've asked one of my children to assist you."

Kiri glanced down and saw a new Pokeball on her belt, a black and gray one. "Alright. Thank you."

"I do not do this often, but this is a case I feel right in doing. Take care of him; he is a noble soul and will serve you well."

"I will." Kiri took Isis' hand. "Come on, let's go home."

"Okay. Bye Giratina."

"Goodbye, child."

They went through the portal and ended up on the sandbar outside Mossdeep. The twins were there waiting. "Ah, there is our lost pair," Liza said.

"You've been gone sixteen hours," her brother added. "You've got Mom worried sick."

"My doll turned into a Pokemon," Isis said happily. "And we meet another nice Pokemon, Giratina, and had a tea party."

"Giratina?" Tate asked curiously.

"A tea party?"

Annie giggled as only a ghost could.

"He was a nice host," Kiri explained. "But more importantly, he wanted to ask about the orbs from Mount Pyre."

"The orbs..."

"We should take you home, Isis," Liza said kindly.

"Then we need to speak with you," Tate added, looking at Kiri.

"Okay."

Back at the Gym, Kiri explained what Giratina said and Liza told her what had happened an hour earlier when the orbs broke. "We have a hard time believing anyone there would wish the orbs broken," she finished with.

"It was five of us Gym Leaders, including your father."

Kiri shook her head. "My Dad wouldn't do something like that. He's from Hoenn, so he would know."

"We trust him, and the other Leaders."

"And the Elite 4. They have worked hard to reach their positions; they would hardly want to risk everything on this foolish act."

"The Magic Champion as well," Tate said. "He was the one who retrieved the orbs from the cult. We trust him too; he is a young Wizard, yet knows the legends of our region well enough to want the orbs to remain."

"And yet Rayquaza insists that the one who wished the orbs destroyed was there with us."

Kiri was fairly certain that Missingno was a likely candidate. "That's really odd."

The twins looked at each other for a minute. Then Tate said, "I believe you should head for Sootopolis for your final badge."

"Now, when all this is happening?"

"There's not much more you can do."

"So you may as well continue on as you would have."

"Besides, something may come of your going there."

It didn't seem like a good idea to ignore the advice of such powerful psychics, so she left to go out to Sootopolis. Before that, she went back at the Pokecenter and took the gray and black Pokeball. The Pokemon it summoned reminded her of the glow of a blacklight. He was about the same size and shape as Hope, but had constantly flickering electrical arms. She smiled. "Hi there."

The ghost chuckled, then responded telepathically. 'Hi, I'm B-A-C-K!'

The spelling gave her a bit of a shock. "Whoa, Fred?"

'Yes!' He darted in to give her a hug. 'I missed Kiri and the others so much.'

Kiri hugged him back. The plasma felt a bit odd, but he was able to make himself tangible enough to touch. "We missed you too."

Chora put her hand on Kiri's wheelchair. 'Fred, I'm sorry about what happened in Lilycove. I didn't mean to put you in danger.'

He drifted back a little and shook his head. 'It wasn't your fault, Choora. He could have killed you just as easily.'

'So how did you not wind up at Mount Pyre?'

He wrapped his arms around himself. 'After it happened, I was scared and cold. Pyre drew me towards it, but I was worried about you both still there with the devil. So I tried my hardest to fight it and follow you. I got lost, and that's how Giratina found me. He tried to get me to relax and accept my fate, but I refused and told him everything that's been going on. He got concerned and agreed to let me return to you, but like this.'

Kirir giggled. "It's different, but kinda neat."

Fred grinned and spun around proudly. 'I am a R-O-T-O-M, Rotom. It spells motor backwards, so that's even more awesome!'

"That is. Well, I'm headed for Sootopolis to challenge the Water Gym. We'll have a nice little party there."

Fred whistled. 'Alright, let's go!'

* * *

Sootopolis was inside a dormant volcano. The main entrance was underwater, but there was a water elevator system linking to a ferry port on the outside. "You want a ride inside?" the ferry operator called as she approached.

"Nah, I'll try on my own." She cast Dive and dropped down. Navigating the spell bubble was as easy as the twins said it was: just a thought and there it went. She was soon on the ashen white inside.

The town's theme seemed to be white and pale gray. All the houses were like this. Although there were grassy patches with a few hardy trees, most of the ground was chalky white. There was a green island in the middle, but a pile of gray rubble was the only thing there. And in back of the volcano hollow, there was a feeling of a sleeping power.

"That is the Cave of Origins," the Nurse Joy told her when she asked during check-in. "It is forbidden to go inside unless you have the Gym Leader's permission."

"I see. What's the status of the Gym? I heard it was in the center of town."

"Well, Groudon awoke this morning..."

"Groudon awoke?"

She nodded gravely. "Yes, startled us all. The immortal smashed the Gym on his way out, presumably by accident. I will let you know when Wallace is accepting challenges again."

The remainder of that day, she spent looking around the volcano and talking to people.

* * *

A demolition crew had removed the last of the old Gym, leaving only a foundation. A new Gym wouldn't be ready for another year, maybe longer. "But that won't stop us from carrying on," Wallace told Gabby as she interviewed him. "No matter what happens, so long as Hoenn exists, the League will continue to aid and challenge its peoples."

Kiri came up, trying to repress a mischievous grin. As she had recently had full maintenance done on her wheelchair, most of the crowd didn't hear or even notice her. That was fine. Surprises were fun.

"So who's going to be the first challenger to your outdoors Gym?" Gabby asked.

"Now that's the question of the hour, isn't it?" Wallace replied. "I don't have any in reserve, so it's basically whoever's ready to go. I do wonder; we have quite a crowd right now. Is anyone out here ready for a challenge?"

"I am!" Kiri called out. She rolled forward as people stepped aside. "I'm Kiri Brown, here for the Mage Challenge."

"Ah, Kiri, the young lady I've been hearing about," Wallace said as she approached. He definitely had an artistic flair, wearing high fashion clothes in white and light blue, including a beret over his hair. He was the sort of guy most teenaged girls would squeal over, and judging from the village girls' talk, that was absolutely true here. "Welcome to Sootopolis Gym. Or, at least, the people of Sootopolis Gym."

She nodded and handed over her ID. "Hi Wallace. What's with that squiggly bit of hair up front?"

He laughed softly at the question. "It's an artistic statement. So you're on your last Gym. I hadn't heard of you beating the twins."

"That was a few days ago."

"Must have been. Given the level you're at, you have to face my apprentice first. Parker, are you ready?"

The boy who had started out with her as a Mage nodded. "I'm ready, but I'm not sure she is."

Kiri waved her hand to the side as if it was nothing to worry about. "Yeah right, I'll take you both down."

Wallace clapped to that. "Now that's the spirit we like to hear around here."

"This is exciting," Gabby said. "Mind if we film this?"

"If nobody else minds, go ahead," Kiri replied.

No one did, so people cleared off the main island and watched from rafts or one of the shores. Ty and Gaby remained on the left side to record, while Wallace watched from the other side. That left Parker and Kiri to face each other where the Gym doors once were, in the center of the island. Ty's camera floated off the ground and went to find a good angle.

"Alright Parker, make me proud." Wallace clapped his hands once, summoning a white battle shield and two concentrator orbs for them. "Begin!"

"Wiscash, go!" Parker released a large blue fish with whiskers. A blue sphere of water surrounded it so that it could breathe. It was a common Pokeball enchantment for most Water Pokemon.

"Mach, your turn!" She released the Hitmonchan. "Your choice."

"With me," Parker called, but Mach had already rushed over to attack. He gave the catfish a left punch, right punch, and then a left again.

"I've got you," Kiri called, casting Bulk Up over Mach. Even though he didn't need it right now, as the Wiscash fainted. "Focus."

The Hitmonchan hopped back and focused his body as Parker pulled out his next Pokemon. "Lantern, watch out!"

It was a blue fish with a yellow light, kind of like those Chinchous that infested the underwater entrance to Sootopolis. Lantern braced herself, but still took a hard hit from Mach's Focus Punch. "Your choice, no repeats," Kiri called.

"With me," Parker said, and managed to cast Surf with his Lantern. Kiri had cast Protect, keeping herself and her Pokemon safe from the doubled wave from the lake. Ignoring the waves, Mach darted back in and used his namesake attack to knock the fish out.

"Over here," Kiri ordered, and cast Cure over him when he got close enough.

"Candice, your turn!" He brought out his Guardian Marshtomp. "Mudslap."

Without her word, Mach leapt aside, drawing the focus of the spell away from Kiri. She wasn't quite sure what a Marshtomp's strengths were, but she could guess from the attack name. "Follow up," she called before casting Confusion at Parker.

The Hitmonchan was struck by a torrent of mud, but he still stood at the end of it. Once Confusion had cleared the air, Mach rushed up for another Mach Punch to Candice. As Parker was confused, the Marshtomp was on her own. She cast Mudslap again, but a combined Confusion and Mach Punch knocked her out.

Mach was badly hurt when he came back to Kiri. "You did good," she told him.

"It was a close call; I must practice more." Then he retreated; she'd have to clean him up later. For now, just a Cure would have to do.

Wallace clapped his hands, dismissing the shield and Parker's confused state. "That's the end of that."

"Huh?" Parker asked. Then the sympathy pain of Candice hit him, causing him to stumble back. "What happened?"

Wallace came up to him and spoke with a gentle firmness. "This is why I've told you to work on taking your Guardian out of your strategies. Now, Charlene, escort him to the Pokecenter."

"Yes sir." One of the regular Gym Trainers took Parker by the hand and guided him off the Gym's island. Apparently the lesson of that battle was for Parker, not Kiri.

"So, now for our battle." Wallace smiled slightly. "If you don't mind, could we do this over the lake? It would show how strong our spirits are, that Hoenn will move on despite the current troubles."

And give Wallace quite the advantage. Kiri smiled in response. "Sure thing, sounds like great fun."

"Good, good. Let's go." They both used Surf, then went out to the middle of the lake. The residents of Sootopolis, and Gabby and Ty, came to the shores to watch. Wallace clapped his hands, summoning the barrier and orbs with an extra flourish of sparkles. He obviously enjoyed all the attention this battle was getting. "Don't be too mesmerized by the beauty of my Pokemon and myself; I'm always looking for a real challenge."

Kiri thought about making a snarky response to that, but decided against it and summoned Honey. The Leader summoned a Wiscash. For a moment, she wished she had given Parker's Wiscash time to attack so she knew a bit more about it.

Before she could start, Wallace started off. "Your choice," he told his Pokemon, then swept both of his hands into the air like a conductor. The lake water rose up in response and began a heavy shower over the battle

She really wanted to know what the Wiscash could do, so she decided to play defensively for a round. "Work with me," she told the Jynx as she cast Reflect.

Honey nodded and cast Light Screen. In the meantime, the Wiscash had cast Mudslap at her. She managed to twirl out of the way. So that meant it was possibly Ground type as well, which meant some of its strengths and weaknesses were canceled out.

"Strike," Kiri called, as she cast Surf.

"We're good," she replied, casting Ice Beam. The two spells worked normally, but together knocked out the Wiscash.

Wallace had to stop the spell he was casting to call out his next Pokemon. "Come, Sealeo." He brought out a light blue sea lion Pokemon. "Your choice."

Kiri took advantage of the switch to do so herself. She swapped Honey for Samba. As it was raining, the Ludicolo would heal himself as the battle went on. "Like Grandad," she told him.

"Heh heh." Samba took a deep breath, then started on Uproar. "Why the heck are we on top of this lake? Don't you goofballs know anything about anything? We should be in the water, not on it, dumbbells!"

As she was prepared, Kiri was spared being hurt, but Uproar hit both Wallace and his Sealeo. The Sealeo hit Samba with a strangely psychedelic burst of water, but to little effect. Wallace attempted to use the same spell against Kiri, but she used Protect.

"With me on ice on him," Wallace told the Sealeo.

"There is no ice, you fool!" Samba continued on his Uproar attack. This knocked the Sealeo out, but Wallace's Aurora Beam still sent a rainbow of magic waves at the Ludicolo.

Wallace called out a Seaking, but Kiri couldn't switch or give new orders until Samba's Uproar was done. "Peck," he ordered.

Kiri tried to use Protect on Samba, but it failed to materialize. The Seaking rammed the Ludicolo with its horn, leaving a rip along the side of his 'hat'.

If anything, though, that only enraged him in his Uproar. "Now look what you've done! Don't you have any sense of decency or respect? You don't see me coming over there and tearing your pretty fins apart, do you? Of course, I could and I should!"

"Ah, stop that whining," the Seaking said.

"This isn't whining! This is righteous justice!"

Since Protect would probably fail again, Kiri cast Thundershock at the Seaking. This, and Samba's ongoing complaints, knocked the grand fish out.

Wallace touched his cap, then snatched a fourth Pokeball. "Luvflair, your turn."

The Seaking might have had a lovely grace to him, but the Luvflair was downright gorgeous. She backed up his claims of opponents becoming mesmerized by beauty. Her body was like that of an elongated Luvdisc, and judging for the name, might be an evolved form of the heart of the sea. She had seven ribbon-like white fins that ended in sparkling pink flames.

"Guard." Wallace started up the rain effect again. At the same time, Luvflair flicked her ribbons around and created a mist around the two of them.

"You think that'll protect you?" Samba yelled. "Think again!"

Kiri cast Thundershock; something like that would certainly have Attract, so she wanted to get rid of it quickly. Wallace used Cure on Luvflair, then she used the same psychedelic water attack as the Sealeo. That knocked Samba out of his Uproar. "Hawah?" he asked, confused.

Because she was in the middle of casting Thundershock again, she couldn't block the Luvflair's next attack, a beam attack composed of steam. It must have been a Water attack, because it didn't do much to the Ludicolo. But as Thundershock knocked the Luvflair unconscious, Samba mistakenly tackled Kiri's wheelchair and knocked himself out as well.

And left her concentrator orb badly damaged. Wallace's was showing a crack, but was in much better condition. "Fred, you're up!"

"Milotic, you're up," Wallace called at the same time.

"B-A-T-T-L-E!" Fred shouted in his usual warcry, but then got a look at his opponent.

Like the Luvflair, the Milotic was one of the most beautiful Pokemon Kiri had ever seen. She was a sea serpent with scales like jewels, long flowing hair, and a slightly sad looking face. But they couldn't let that stop them. "Fred, strike hard."

"Right." He cast Thunder while Kiri cast Thundershock. Although Milotic winced at both hits, she endured both.

And then cast the psychedelic attack. Wallace cast it as well, leaving Kiri's orb barely together.

"Again." She cast Light Screen to block further spells while Fred cast Thunder again.

"Heal yourself," Wallace said, while casting a showy column of sparkles over himself.

Fred's Thunder, oddly enough, hit Wallace instead of the Milotic, putting his orb at the same level as Kiri's. With that safely away, the serpent Pokemon went to sleep. A white shimmer came over her body, healing her.

"L-A-Z-Y," Fred said, then cast Thunder again. The Milotic slept through it.

Wallace sent the psychedelic spell at Kiri, but she managed Protect in time. When Fred cast Thunder yet again, Kiri took a chance and cast Thundershock. This knocked out the Milotic, although she seemed to still be asleep.

With a smile, the Leader banished the battle shield. "Well done. That could have gone either way. It's especially impressive that you managed it on the second battle."

"I have tougher challenges ahead," she told him.

"Yes, you do. And now you have your last badge, the Rain Badge." He cast a dark blue light over her ID card. "Your father will be proud to hear of this."

"I'm sure."

"If you remember, the Knuckle badge allowed Pokemon weaker than your Guardian to know how strong you were, thus encouraging them to obey. It is half of a power; the other half is in this badge. Now when any Pokemon sees your aura, it will know that you are strong. Wilds may choose to leave you alone and all Pokemon should be encouraged to obey. Of course, this isn't a surefire thing. Some Pokemon are simply too defiant, too proud, or the like to accept a Trainer until they know for themselves your strength."

"Okay, I noticed that before with a few."

"It is their way and we must respect it."

Once the camera crew began shutting down, he also taught her the psychedelic attack, Water Pulse. Then Gaby wanted to interview her again, and many other people wanted to ask questions. Kiri took all the attention in stride, but it would up taking up the rest of the day.

_Pokenav Extra_

People

Wallace Lowell  
Job: Gym Leader/Master Wizard  
Hobby: Coordinator  
Battle Strategy: Be strong defensively, then attack with statuses.  
Secret: Although lots of women adore him, he only has eyes for one. But which one?

_Pokemon_

Fred (Rotom)  
Trainer: Kiri  
Nature: Quirky  
Likes: Spelling  
Dislikes: the dark

Wiscash  
Trainer: Wallace  
Team: 3rd and 4th tiers  
Nature: Hardy  
Likes: swimming  
Dislikes: being in levitation bubbles

Sealeo  
Trainer: Wallace  
Team: 3rd and 4th tiers  
Nature: Quiet  
Likes: napping in the sun  
Dislikes: being too hot

Seaking  
Trainer: Wallace  
Team: 4th tier  
Nature: Naughty  
Likes: annoying people  
Dislikes: being lectured

Luvflair  
Trainer: Wallace  
Team: 4th and 5th tiers  
Nature: Bold  
Likes: candles  
Dislikes: bullies

Milotic  
Trainer: Wallace  
Team: 4th and 5th Tiers  
Nature: Lonely  
Likes: napping underwater  
Dislikes: excessive noise

_Author's Notes_

Luvflair: The first fakemon I made, even before Lokire. It's a Water/Fire evo of Luvdisc with boosted Attack and Special Attack stats. The 'steam beam attack' is called Passion Beam and has a chance of inflicting Attract. It evolves at max Coolness.

Names: Fred is the name of the resident ghost of my house. He messes with the lights and knocks small objects off of shelves. However, he's more playful than hostile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fred's back! And Kiri vs Wallace has to be one of my favorite Pokemon battles that I've written, still. Having it on the surface of the lake by using Surf would be fun!


	28. The Honor of a Champion

"And so the next big contender for the title of Magic Champion of Hoenn is Kiri Brown from Petalburg. This amazing girl has gone further than most able-bodied people have done, but can she defeat the astonishingly powerful Victor Gaines? We may find out in the coming weeks."

"Hmm?" Vincent mumbled.

He looked around, but didn't see anyone else in the room with him. It was a rather generic apartment, despite being reserved for the Magic Champion. Ordinary gray-brown rug, ordinary fake plants, ordinary tan blinds, ordinary blue-gray couch and chairs... just nothing special. Then again, he hadn't done anything to it.

The TV commentators went on discussing the expected match. "It's a hard one to call," the famed expert Al Allenson said. "Victor has only one Pokemon, his Guardian, which puts him at a disadvantage with empathy and numbers. But he's extraordinarily talented and powerful for his age, as is his Guardian. On the other hand, Kiri has six Pokemon with her Guardian in passive status, and she's proven herself adaptable, shifting strategies and learning a wide range of spells. But she tends to stall initially to study her opponent. If Victor strikes hardest with his first blow, he could win, but if he lets her set up, she could steal the title from him just as easily."

"I hope she does win," Vincent said softly.

"But I like to cheer on the underdogs, you know, so here's to hoping that Kiri can best Victor in the coming weeks."

"What're they talking about?" Missingno asked, appearing over the couch.

"Kiri just won her eighth badge; they showed the battle live."

"Huh. Did you record it?"

He shook his head. "No. I couldn't pay much attention to it."

"Bummer. We haven't seen her battle in nearly a year. What Pokemon did she have?"

"Um... I saw the Ludicolo."

"They can be tough under the right Trainer. Maybe they'll replay the match later. It could be worth the time to know what she can do."

Vincent looked up at the static Pokemon. It was only interested in her now because she was a threat to their position. That what it seemed like, anyhow. Before, it had always taken a moment for Missingno to recall who Kiri was. Could there be some way for him to use this match to call attention to the problem?

Maybe if he passed out. Vincent put his hand to his forehead. "I don't feel so good. Maybe I should go to the doctor."

"You're okay," it replied. "You just seem tired. Get some rest and you'll feel better tomorrow."

Hadn't he heard that from his Guardian nearly every day? He shook his head slightly; any harder and he would get dizzy. "No, really, I feel awful and weak, like I'm wasting away until I die."

He expected Missingno to blindly assure him that it was not so. Instead, it darted closer to him and took his hand. "No, it's not like that. You're not going to die. I'm protecting you." Then it seemed to put its head against his shoulder.

For a moment, Vincent felt bad about doubting him. But there was something odd about this sudden bout of clinginess. "Missingno?"

"It's okay, Nathan. We'll be okay."

"Nathan?"

Missingno tensed, then pulled back slightly. "Oh, sorry Vincent. I just... flashbacks, you know."

Vincent put his other hand on top of Missingno's 'hand', partly to make sure he wouldn't scoot off. "Nathaniel Azazer was your original partner."

"It's not what you think," it insisted. "Nathan did great things: he put lighthouses at Slateport and Lilycove to make regional trading safer and better. He wrote a lot of great laws that are still around today. But he had many enemies. They defamed him when he died."

"But didn't he cause Mount Chimney to explode and destroy Volcanis?"

"That? Mount Chimney exploded on its own. We just had the bad luck of being around when it did, so people blamed it on us."

"And if he's dead, what are you doing alive?"

"You should know. It was Lokire's doing. He tempted me after the Aquelle blew up the castle and I wasn't in a good state of mind to be encountering him."

"So you do remember now."

It nodded. "And I know what I did wrong. I underestimated those Aquelle Pokemon. I didn't think manmade Pokemon would be any good and that they were bragging when they called them immortals. But they were. Because we didn't know our enemy properly, Nathan died."

He should keep Missingno from finding out too much about Kiri. But how?

* * *

Wally was impressed by the Lilycove library. It was large, with three stories above ground and a basement storage for rare books. It was well lit, yet cozy; comforting and clean. He could tell why Vincent liked it much better than the Petalburg library.

He went to the search board, where seven Unown were hanging out. "Good afternoon," he said. "Could you help me find something?"

"Neep, neep!" the Unown replied, then hurried to the board.

Wally frowned, then glanced at Amigo. "Neep?"

"I can't understand them either," the Gardevoir said. "The Unown are a race apart."

"Well, okay." He turned back to the animated letters. "I'm looking for information on a legend, but I don't know much about it. It's three of the immortals, I think, referred to as the three Pokemon Kings. They must be somewhere here in Hoenn."

"Neep." the seven turned to each other. "Neep?"

"Neep?"

"Neep, neep, neep neep neep."

"Neep?"

"Neep."

One of them touched the board and made several strings of Unown text appear. "Neep!" Then a second twisted its arm about and hit a button. This translated the text into something readable. They could remember nine books that mentioned three Pokemon Kings.

"I see. Thanks." He took a scrap of paper and wrote them down.

* * *

-Excerpt from Local Traditions of Hoenn

This tale starts out in Sinnoh, of a tribe skilled in unusual forms of magic. The Aquelle were able to make new species of Pokemon, culminating in the immortal that other tribes called the Emperor Pokemon, Regigigas. It is said that Regigigas was so strong that it could move an entire continent. What is more certain is that it was used effectively for war and helped the tribe conquer the land of Sinnoh. Although slow to get going, once it got started, it was difficult to stop.

This came to be the downfall of Regigigas and the tribe it came from. When they had conquered their enemies, Regigigas was still fighting. It is said that Regigigas even defeated Lokire in single combat. Eventually, the Aquelle built three more like it. Called the three Pokemon Kings, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel eventually stopped their predecessor. Regigigas was sealed at a sacred site to keep it from being activated again.

But the other peoples of Sinnoh would not accept the Aquelle tribe nor the three Kings. They banded together and drove the tribe out. Taking their Kings with them, the Aquelle came to Hoenn. They no longer wanted war, so once they had the blessing of the three Hoenn Guardians, they shut the three Kings down and sealed them away. The tribe's descendants are said to live in Pacifidlog Town.

From time to time, when Hoenn has come under the threat of war or danger, the Kings are awakened to help protect the people. They have come to accept this as their way and will obey one who seeks to protect their homeland. But when one seeking war comes to awaken them, they will not obey. However, the key to awakening the Kings is still a closely guarded secret.

Without the Aquelle to pass on knowledge, Regigigas sleeps on in Sinnoh. It is not know what would happen if it is to awaken, although others have worshiped the sleeping Emperor.

-end excerpt

* * *

-Excerpt from A Record of Dark Magic in Hoenn

Azazer and his corrupted Guardian stayed within their castle for many years, ignoring pleas for help and taxing the people into deep poverty. ... Then a mysterious tribe came from the north, bringing with them three legendary Pokemon, known variously as the Three Kings or Regents of the Earth. The Aquelle tribe was strong, but running from oppression and violence. The suffering people of Hoenn asked for their help.

Seeking a new homeland in peace, the tribe agreed to help destroy the evil wizard. They sent seven of their strongest along with the Three Kings to battle the pair. Details of this battle are unclear, as not many reliable sources remain. But the results were obvious: a deep crater where the castle once stood, a island of rock that burns every new moon, and the death of the evil wizard.

The Three Kings were put into hibernation soon after the battle, in three caverns connected to a fourth cavern undersea near their new settlement. Strangely enough, the Aquelle wizards reported that they were not certain if the corrupt Guardian was killed or not. All other examples are of Guardians dying within an hour of their partner or being left in a vegetative state. But this once, it seems that the Guardian escaped his partner's death untouched. It is unknown where this Guardian may have wound up.

-end excerpt

* * *

Wally saw Missingno in... he wasn't sure, but he thought it was Ever Grande Stadium. There was a black haze apart from a space around himself and Missingno. He knew he was dreaming, but felt that this was real as well. The former Guardian was pacing from column to column. From the light blue color, it was apparently in Glacia's battle room.

"You seem to be getting restless," someone said. This person was just out of Wally's view, in the black haze. "Or are you scared?"

"I'm not scared," it insisted, although undertones and its tense organization indicated otherwise. "But people are starting to say something's wrong with Victor. Especially that elf. She's been asking us questions."

"You think they suspect you?"

"We're running a lot of risks at this point. They're more supportive of each other in the orbs than of him. There's hardly any distrust; I'd almost say that they trust each even more. And Rayquaza won't be stable much longer. For as long as he's been flying, he must be barely holding onto his mind."

"He is a hardy soul. But even he can't hold out without complete rest this long. That tower has been burning for over a year."

"The other two are holding out. But once one of them goes, they all will. Then we won't be able to hide much longer. Of course, if they start asking questions of us, the act will fall apart. I even overheard the Elites talk of awakening the Kings."

"How are you doing in that search?"

"I can't find them," he said, ashamed. "I've checked the scorched rock, the formations, the waters, the mountains, the falls, everywhere in Hoenn. They aren't showing themselves, and they certainly aren't letting anyone wake them up."

The other person grumbled. "I can't say for certain that they're a threat, but they could be. They stopped the Emperor, and you that time. I can't find them either."

"Rayquaza will be on a rampage. That could slow them down."

"True. So what about the boy?"

"His mind is powerful, but his aura is draining as steadily as ever. It's got me off kilter. He really can be enchanted like this?"

"Of course he can. Or do you have doubts in my power?"

"I don't doubt you," it said hastily. "But I just can't shake the feeling of dread the empathy gives me. He's getting scared and it makes me wonder if this was the ideal way of going about this."

"Vincent?" Wally asked quietly.

Missingno tensed further, becoming almost solid. "Is someone else in here?"

"I don't sense anyone," the other said. "We should move ahead. The Kings are the only unknown factor at this point and if they're not stirring, we can handle them when they do. You need not fear for your partner. Once he's fully under my power, nothing will ever harm him."

The shapeless Pokemon relaxed, then made a movement like a nod. "Yes, Master Lokire. I'm ready."

"Wally!"

He jumped and, for a moment, was confused as the scene shifted from Glacia's battle room to his bedroom at the Ranch. He put his hand on the orange-red stone wall, partly to make sure that this was the right place. Then he realized that it had been Amigo who'd woke him up. The Gardevoir was tense, his short fur bristling up all over his body. His black eyes moved frantically, as they often did when he was experiencing something distant in time or space. He'd also woken up Sandy and Altaria, who were resting on makeshift nests of blankets.

The Flygon was first to react, taking off and hovering near Amigo. "What is it? It's the middle of the night."

Amigo put his hands on the red fin that came from his chest. "Something's not right; something terrible is on the brink of happening. I can almost make it out, but the emotional pain is too great and I can't focus without feeling like I'm being murdered."

Anyone else would have told him that he was getting worked up over nothing. But Wally knew better than that; saying that would only freak out an emotion Psychic even more. "Was it something to do with Missingno and Lokire in Ever Grande?" he asked. "I just had a vision of them; I'm sure it wasn't a dream."

It worked, causing him to set aside his own problem for a moment to drift over and sit next to him. Amigo put his hand on Wally's head and peered into his eyes. "I believe you're right. That was a vision, connected to whatever I'm feeling now. We have to do something, and soon. It's almost too late as it is."

"Is it too late to awaken the Kings?"

"Can we get permission to do that?" Altaria asked. "We have a general idea of where the Key Cavern is, but if we ask for specifics, aren't the Aquelle people going to talk us out of it?"

"They would," he admitted. "We may just have to find it without permission, as everyone else is taking too long to consider them an option. But I heard Lokire say that the Kings were their only unknown. In that case, they're our best chance."

"We should go get them, before this premonition turns..." he cut off abruptly and began trembling.

"Amigo?"

Altaria fluttered over and Sandy landed on the bedframe. But for a minute, Amigo just stared in a stunned silence.

* * *

Jirachi's voice echoed through his head. "The time has come."

Steven woke up with a start. He was in his home at Mossdeep, but this night had only given him a fitful sleep. There was something strange going on, but he wasn't certain what. He was certain that it was Jirachi who woke him up, though.

He got out of bed and dressed hurriedly. His Pokemon noticed; all seven of them were awake as well. 'There seems to be something strange going on,' Laharl said. 'Rozalin and Adell are uneasy; something about fire.'

He looked over the Cradilly and Armaldo. Being resurrected from fossils, they didn't communicate well with the others, only each other. But even he could tell that they were nervous. The Cradily kept her wide mouth shut and held her head low. The Armaldo scuttled about in an alert state, checking for nearby enemies or fire.

Steven patted Rozalin. "Come on, we need to go; I'm not sure where, but we'll find out soon enough."

He recalled most of them, leaving Prinny and Laharl. The three of them went outside. Mossdeep was being buffeted by hot winds from the south. The Empoleon soon pointed towards the orange moon. It hovered over Ever Grande, which appeared to have black flames flickering off it. Black flames, like those keeping Sky Tower inaccessible even to its resident immortal.

"I hope they know," he murmured. But not wanting to take chances with that, he teleported there himself.

The black flames were eerie and silent. They cast no light and made the air cold. Although scattered about, they had not yet reached the village. As no one was out this late, they might not know. Steven thought over the fastest ways to alert everyone and the storm tower came to mind. An alarm was there that would alert everyone to danger; he even knew how to order an evacuation through it. He ran for that small building.

The storm tower was about fifty feet high, perched on a cliff that had a good view of the sea and sky. When originally built, it had a crank-based siren on top, but recent additions had automated it. A keypad sat near the ladder. But at the foot of that ladder was a young teen, so pale that his skin seemed blue. Dark rings lay around his eyes; it seemed like he hadn't eaten well recently either.

Concerned, Steven ignored the alarm for a moment. "Hey, what happened to you? What're you doing out on a night like this?"

"Huh?" He looked up, then put on his eyeglasses. "Steven?"

'Aren't you that Vincent boy?' Laharl asked.

Steven then recognized him as Wally's friend. "Vincent Starmie? We'll get you to a doctor once we evacuate, don't worry."

"Nuuhhh," Vincent replied. He shook his head, trying to make sense of things. "Send your Guardian away."

"Why? Prinny might look intimidating, but he's really quite..."

"No, it's..." his eyes unfocused until he blinked. "If you encountered a Pokemon that said it was seeking the forgiveness of Arceus, would you help it?"

"This isn't the time to be asking that."

"But would you?"

"Yes. Why?"

"What if... it turned out to be still loyal to Lokire?"

The situation made sense then. Careful not to bruise his fragile skin, Steven took Vincent's hand. "So that was what Groudon meant. They tricked you to gain control."

"They wanted to destroy the three Kings, but it's not working. War will erupt and I wasn't able to realize it in time. Missingno has been using me all along. I'm sorry."

"Hey, no one would blame you for this. You thought you were helping. But we have to get everyone off this island first."

Then a strange hiss hit Steven's ears. A blur of static appeared next to Vincent; it went to strike him, but he used Surefoot to jump back onto his feet. "Watch yourself, Wizard," Missingno growled. "You've come too late."

"You only think so," Steven said.

"I can make it so," a hateful voice said. "Guardian..."

He turned to Prinny in time to see a gray Lokire hovering by the Empoleon. He brought his hands together and summoned a reddish black blade. Then, before anyone could react, he thrust the blade straight through Prinny and killed him.

It was like someone had taken hold of his heart and ripped it out of his living body. Steven dropped to his knees, his body and mind overwhelmed by the pain of his soul. A Wizard and his Guardian were never to be parted.

"I can't stand those angels," Lokire scowled. "Thoughtless followers, never questioning. Of all that I've ever encountered, only you have been worthy."

"I can't see why others wouldn't ask questions," Missingno said. "Victor, get up."

Vincent stood up and, in a blink, he was the blond and apparently healthy Victor instead. "A Guardian will die within an hour of his partner, and a Wizard will do the same," he said to Steven without emotions. "Your only hope is to pledge loyalty to Lokire."

Finding his mouth too dry for words, Steven shook his head.

"Not even for the life of your Guardian?" Lokire asked.

He shook his head again.

"Fool. Then the flames will devour you." The three of them vanished.

'Steven!' Laharl nudged his head. 'Steven.'

It hurt more than any pain he had ever felt before. Sparkling trails of mana came from his body, betraying the frayed state of his soul. His five other Pokemon appeared, shocked and frightened. "Calm down," he told them firmly.

"But you're dying," Etna said, touching her beak to his forehead.

"Jirachi told me that we must save those loyal to Hoenn. Laharl, enter code 911 on the keypad up there. Etna, once he does, pull that level. We need to get everyone off this island." He took one of the Armaldo's legs and gripped it. Once the other two followed his orders, the sharp alarm filled the silence of the evil flames. "But that means all of you must leave as well."

'We can't leave you to die alone,' Laharl said. Steven could feel his intense anxiety through his telepathic thoughts.

"Those flames are deadly; I don't want any of you to die because of me. And you especially," he looked at the Metagross, "you have responsibilities to attend to."

'But... without you?'

He must have blanked out for a minute, because he was next aware of the residents of Ever Grand surrounding him. Drake had taken his hand, giving him some energy to respond. "Steven, who did this to you?"

"Victor. His Guardian is Missingno, a disciple of the devil Pokemon."

"Victor?"

"Get off this island!" Steven ordered with as much energy as he could muster. "I was told to save those loyal to Hoenn. Now go, all of you."

"What about you?"

"I'm doomed. But I won't let the flames leave this island, I promise. You must leave." He turned to his Pokemon, still hesitant to leave his side. "I'm sorry, but even you..."

Drake took his belt with the seven Pokeballs attached. Phoebe knelt by him and quietly put a blessing over him. "Goodbye, Steven, and thank you."

* * *

(06/12, letter from Steven to his father)

When you read this, I'll be dead. Prinny was killed by Lokire. I have created a shield that I hope will keep Lokire's power restricted to Ever Grande Island. I have some time left and a few things to pass along. This is for the good of Hoenn; I hope you understand.

We have known that Lokire was drawing power out to send the immortals towards war. We thought it was entirely the cult, but it's not so. There is a boy called Vincent Starmie who has been manipulated by him. Vincent is innocent; he believed he was doing the right thing and was not aware that he was helping the devil. If he is saved, would you help him?

Victor is a fake. He took the Championship seeking something, but could not find it. I could not understand Vincent when he was telling me what Victor and Lokire wanted. Victor didn't fight fairly in any of his battles; his Guardian Missingno is a disciple of Lokire, which was how that 'Feraligator' was able to withstand spells that would take down an ordinary one. This false Guardian is very strange. I could swear that I saw some protectiveness of Victor in its eyes, but I'm not sure how authentic...

Dad, I love you. My soul will be confined within my shield, so pray to Mom for me. I must stand firm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, I killed Steven, even though he's one of my favorite characters in Pokemon. I generally don't see characters as 'unkillable'. If the plot falls that way, then it happens. And Lokire hates Guardians. Back when Hope was healed, Jirachi told Steven about something; it was this incident, although Jirachi didn't mention it would be the death of him (even as a Psychic legend, Jirachi wouldn't have known).


	29. A Prayer for the Dead

By dawn, Amigo had calmed down enough to search for Kiri. He held his head down and his eyes closed to concentrate on their social connections. Wally held onto his hands, in case something else disturbed him. For a while, there was stillness.

Then Amigo looked back up, brushing his green hair aside. "She's at the Lilycove Pokecenter, making preparations to head for Victory Road. It took us a couple of days to get through there. But something's stalled her for the time being. We should make it easily."

"All right, then let's sign off duty. I think if I call it a personal emergency, they won't ask until later."

They left his room for the lobby. The early shift caretakers were either on the job or getting ready to. A couple greeted them, but one of the managers actually stopped them. "Oh, Wally, I know you're not on duty yet, but can I get your help with a difficult newcomer?"

"What's the problem, Sarah? I have something I need to get done, but if it won't take long..."

She shrugged. "I'm not sure how long it'll take. I don't know if you've heard, but Steven Stone was murdered last night."

Amigo clutched Wally's arm, his fur beginning to bristle again. "That's what I felt last night... a truly terrible death."

Wally's throat tightened. "Is that it? Amigo woke me up several hours ago, disturbed at something. Who killed him?"

"Sorry to hear that, but yes, that's probably what it was. They know what happened: Victor Gaines killed Steven's Guardian and then he died to get everyone safely off Ever Grande Island and seal it off."

No, that couldn't... he felt a lump in his throat. He should have stopped Vincent; he should have said something. But it was too late.

Sarah slowed for a moment and touched his shoulder. "Are you feeling ill?"

He shook his head. "No, I... Steven was one of my friends. It's just so sudden."

"Would you rather go home?"

To his parents? "No, I, I think I ought to help. So his Pokemon?"

"They managed to rescue his regular Pokemon, so all seven were brought here."

"Seven? But his Guardian is dead and his battle team has six members."

"Right. One of the Pokeballs had an egg in it. The Metagross took off with it, so we assume that it belongs to him. But he won't let any of us approach him or his egg to check on them. Could you talk with him?"

The Metagross... Steven had said that it was a difficult Pokemon to work with, extremely strong. But if they didn't keep him calm, Laharl could injure the other ranch Pokemon. "Okay, I'll try."

"Thank you. He's over by the red rocks. He has... discouraged people from following him. But since you know him, you should be able to approach him. Oh, and you'll want sunglasses. It's extremely bright out there."

Wally found Laharl pacing by a large boulder; the Pokemon had placed his egg in a sheltered shadow. Keeping Amigo beside him, he walked along a path so the Metagross could easily see him. When they were close, he calmly said, "I'm here to check on you and the egg, if that's okay."

"I'm busy thinking on events," Laharl responded.

"It is fine for you to be upset," Amigo said. "You have just lost a dear friend, after all."

"And in such a terrible way." He stopped several feet from him. "Would you let me check you for our records?"

"I suppose. Only a kind human would seek the trinkets you have made."

While Wally came up to check on the Metagross, Amigo hesitated for a moment. Then he came close as well. "I... I felt the deaths of both of them, but I did not understand at the time. It was truly a cold-blooded murder."

Laharl looked at him harshly with two of his four eyes, but then sighed and sank closer to the ground. "It was. There was little reason behind it. And it wasn't Vincent, if you're concerned about your friend. It was Lokire who dealt the killing blow."

"Lokire... he hates the Guardians bitterly. From what I have heard, he would kill any simply because it was there."

He nodded once. "That was all it was. Prinny didn't deserve that. He was a great Pokemon. I was jealous of him at first, but he always respected me as Steven's first. I came to respect him as well. And the only reason we had paused from raising the alarm about Lokire's takeover was because we found Vincent."

Wally patted Laharl's main body. "I don't mean to be rude, but how is Vincent?"

"I know, you've spoken about your friend before. He's not doing well. He's held onto his own identity, but he needs to get help soon."

"We mean to do something about that today."

"Is the egg yours?" Amigo asked.

Laharl gave him a chiding click. "I'm sure you know the answer, with your sensitive heart."

He bowed his head. "I thought I would ask. Your child has been growing for some time."

"It has some time yet to finish. It is my first child; I've been calculating for some time who would be best suited to raise it."

Wally looked at the registration scanner; everything came up okay. "We can let you keep your child as long as you like," he said. "I'll inform the others."

"I won't be staying much longer," Laharl answered. "I have to go to Steven and Prinny."

He scratched the Metagross' head, hoping that would help. "They're gone. You can't go to them."

"I must go. Gardevoir, can you hear? Their souls are separated."

"Separated? That's terrible." Amigo closed his eyes.

"How could they get separated?" Wally asked. "I thought they could always find each other, no matter what happens."

"We are speaking of an evil force. They have defied it, so it has driven them apart. They could fall into madness before long. Therefore, I must go to them and act as a connection, even if that means the end of my life."

Right then, Amigo put his hand on Wally's shoulder. The young man heard a distant wail and felt a deep loneliness. Amigo was trembling. Wally put his hand on his. "Is that them?"

"Yes," he replied, dismissing the connection. "This is a brave and selfless thing you propose, Metagross. With this strength of loyalty, you should be able to keep them from madness. They will only be whole when reunited, but you can at least ease their suffering."

"Good." He sighed, sounding like a humming piece of metal. "Yet I am not supposed to be this sentimental. My kind loves numbers. This should just be another fact of life. It must be true, what they say of humans."

"What do you mean?"

"It is something well known among my kind, but of which we are not certain. Do you know the story of Azelf, Uxie, and Mespirit?"

"A little," Wally said. He knew the legend very well, but felt that Laharl would be more comfortable if he had something he could explain. "They hatched from one egg when humans appeared in this world."

"Yes. Arceus had felt something was missing from the world, even though it was complete. He went to check on everything when he found this egg floating above a lake. He stayed with it to see what would happen. Unfortunately, as he waited, Dialga and Palika began to fight.

"Now when the Master of Time and the Master of Space fight, strange things can happen. Rips can appear in the fabric of reality into other worlds. Humans stumbled through one of these rips. The other immortals were not sure what to do with them, so watched cautiously as the humans began building a town.

"At the lake, the egg hatched into three immortals. Azelf had strong willpower, Uxie had much knowledge, and Mespirit had a sensitive heart. They spoke with Arceus and told him what he felt was missing was the human race. You see, Pokemon on their own will not change much. Evolution occurs with great age and what is made is simple or unorganized. This is because no Pokemon has will, knowledge, and emotional sensitivity all at once. Humans do.

"The three then told him that humans could inspire Pokemon to greater things. Your race can pass on your drive and strength to us. For instance, I am a follower of Uxie. I love numbers and that should be it. Logic and numbers. But thanks to Steven, I am contemplating something illogical and completely sentimental. On my own, I would still be in my first stage. With him, I am much stronger than any wild one of my kind would be. According to my race, this is why we bond with humans."

Amigo put his hand to his cheek. "Among my race, we say that some of us are touched by Azelf and that drives us to bond with humans. We don't bond often when on our own; we know it would be heartbreaking to form a bond with a Trainer, and then have it undone. That is such a terrible idea that most of us do not leave our hiding places. But one day, I felt that I had to find my person. I was touched by will, you see."

"That is the same idea. So I must go, even as it frightens me to do something illogical. There are many things I cannot calculate; yet, somehow I feel that I will be able to reach them both and ease their hearts."

Wally felt torn for a moment, but then nodded. "I understand. I'm not sure I can make the others understand, but..." he looked down at the aura scanner. He hadn't sent the information yet. Deciding, he deleted it.

"Would you take care of my child?" Laharl asked. "I was already considering you. Now that I know you truly have a kind heart, I think you can help him develop as I have."

"Okay. I'll do my best to raise him well."

"Thank you." He shivered. "Would you stay with me while I do this? I never thought I would come to this."

"Of course." He sat by the Metagross and continued scratching his head.

"We wouldn't leave you alone now," Amigo added.

Laharl calmed down. "Good. I may love numbers, but still, I do not like being alone." He closed his four eyes.

Wally considered the plan. Loyalty could take a ghost far; Fred had found his way back to the world of the living through his loyalty to Kiri. But it couldn't hurt to try getting him a guide. He wasn't a Mage, but he had reached Darkrai through prayer before. He knelt down by Laharl and put both of his hands over one of his four units. That eye opened and looked at him curiously.

"Spirits of the world, listen to us please," he started. "I am asking for your assistance on behalf of Laharl the Metagross with me. He seeks to cross the divide of life and death in order to calm the souls of his friends, the Wizard Steven Stone who trained him and the Guardian Prinny the Empoleon who fought with him. If any of you can, help him find the path to connect their separated souls. I know this is unusual, but if you honor loyalty and friendship, please come to his aide."

"He will find his way."

The three of them looked up to find a rainbow colored bird perched on the rock beside them. "Ho-oh?" Laharl asked.

"Do not be afraid of what comes," she replied. "Your hearts are connected and thus you cannot stray when you move between them. You can calm them for as long as the shield is necessary."

"Good."

"And Wally," she bowed her head. "We have seen your devotion to the well-being and happiness of the Pokemon you encounter. The faith and understanding of humans has been sliding in recent times. We hope that you can help slow this development, Shaman."

"I'll do what I can," he replied. He usually didn't like feeling pressured to do something, but this time he felt proud.

Ho-oh flicked her beak against her chest and sent an orange feather down to him. "You may need this in coming hours. Take care of yourself, and your Pokemon. I will take care of Laharl." She vanished as silently as she arrived.

Laharl's body sank down to the ground and became still.

Amigo was quiet for a moment, then said, "We must do something about Vincent."

"But what? After what happened last time... I don't want to risk losing you guys."

"I feel the same, and yet Victor must be stopped. He's not going to show mercy to anyone, especially us."

"I suppose you're right." He still felt nervous. "We should inform the rest of his team. We can tell the staff that we found him dead, but his teammates ought to know the truth.."

"That's true. But we mustn't take long."

He went to pick up the feather, then found a marking of a red bird on the back of his left hand.

* * *

On the grassy route outside of Lilycove, Kiri waved Fred back to her after a particularly tough battle against a Dusclops. "Are you doing okay?"

He brightened his electrical pulses. "I'm man enough to take it. Besides, I know how important this is."

'He claims he's fine, but you'd better give him a quick healing just in case,' Choora related.

"Hold still." When he wouldn't, she added, "There's no use in being macho if it's only going to get you knocked out."

He glanced around. Seeing no one paying attention to them, he obeyed and held still. "Oh fine."

'It looks like Dark-type spells are our best chance against Phoebe's team,' the Alakazam mused. 'I could manage that with my cards, but we'd better not rely on that.'

"Right, and I'd rather save the cards until the fifth battle, if they make me do that. I kinda hope they do, because I think we're solid against the other three. We might look around the Department Store later, in that case."

Before they could search out another wild Pokemon for Fred to experiment with, a Vibrava called out from above. "I found you first!" She landed by them.

Kiri smiled. "Sandy? What're you doing here?"

She twitched her wings. "Wally picked up on one of your tricks, in truth."

With that, Wally, Amigo, and Altaria appeared. "Kiri, did you hear about Steven?"

She nodded, turning her wheelchair around to face him. "Yeah, it sounded terrible. They're saying that Victor did it."

"No, it wasn't him. I spoke with Laharl this morning; you remember, his Metagross? He says that Lokire killed Prinny just because he was there."

"Really?"

"What's even worse, the devil cut them off from each other so that Prinny is stuck at Mount Pyre and Steven is stuck at Ever Grande." Pausing to glance around, Wally stepped closer. "Look, don't tell anyone about this, but Laharl sacrificed himself to act as a connection between them. The Ranch thinks he died of natural causes."

Kiri put her hand over her heart. "I promise, nobody will hear about it from me."

Still, Wally rubbed his left arm. "It's against the rules to allow a suicidal Pokemon to carry through with it. But I understood why he was doing it and let him. For understanding that, I got recognized as a Shaman. It also made me realize that I have to do something about Vincent now. Laharl said that he can't have much longer to live. When he dies, no one's going to care about it. Well, outside of me and you. So would you still help me in saving him?"

"Of course. I gave my word and I'll keep it."

"Thanks. I have a plan in mind. There are some risks, but it has to be done. The government is taking too long in debating on awakening the Three Pokemon Kings. So we're going to do it."

'Do you know how?' Choora asked.

"I have a pretty good idea. It has to do with that bracelet Hope and Thorn gave you."

"This?" she asked, touching the Aquelle bracelet.

He nodded. "They are Regirock, Registeel, and Regice, just like your bracelet has. From what I've read, they hibernate in the stone formations. I'm sure you've seen one of them, at least that one," he pointed to the east.

"The six tall rocks surrounding one larger one? Yeah."

"But even if you manage to get inside, you won't find them. They must be awakened at a fourth location. It's at an undersea cavern between Pacifidlog and Slateport. If we can prove our intentions there, we can awaken them. With them along, we can convince Steven's ghost to undo his shield so we can reach Vincent."

"Sounds good so far. Then what?"

Wally hesitated. "Well... I don't like suggesting this, but Lokire will notice you when the shield comes down. Even he if notices me, his blind hatred of the Guardians and desire to corrupt the most promising Mages will cause him to come looking for you over me. So... if you could take the Kings to distract Lokire and Missingno, I can find Vincent and convince him to break his Guardian's Oath. The devil only has the power he is granted by others, so the old people say. Once Vincent is cut off from Missingno, Lokire's power will be drastically lowered and, if things work out right, the immortal Guardians of Hoenn will help us escape. Would you be willing to do that?"

Kiri thought about it, then took Billina's Pokeball. "Hang on." She summoned her Guardian, then asked, "You heard that. Are you okay with it?"

She nodded. "It's better that we take these chances then let him become a lost soul."

"Alright then. But first off, how are we going to get to that cavern? I know Dive, but because of my innate power, I can't go very deep."

"My cousin Wanda has a Waillord and I can convince her to take us there. But then it's going to be awkward to get your wheelchair into the dry portion of the Key Cavern."

She tapped her chin. "True... I have a second one that can be folded up. I use it for doctor visits and anywhere I might have to spend a lot of time without it, aside from home."

"Great. I'll write Wanda while you go back home and get that one. Meet us at the Slateport docks, okay?"

"Sure enough."

* * *

Pacifidlog had been evacuated as unsafe. Storms erupted and evaporated much too quickly to predict the weather and sea patterns. They had moored all the platforms in a rocky cove, but the residents weren't sure if their homes would survive the violence between the three immortals.

Wally and Kiri therefore went to Slateport, to meet up with his cousin Wanda. She wore a dark green wetsuit. "Hi guys, good to see you."

"Hi Wanda," Wally said, giving her a quick hug. "Thanks for helping us."

"No problem. Hang on, I'll have her out in a bit."

Wanda then dove off the dock and swam out a few yards. taking out a Net Ball, she released her Waillord. Mandy could be summoned on land through use of a water globe and levitation enchantment placed on the special Pokeball. But she must have been more comfortable being summoned directly into the ocean.

Wanda got on the Waillord's back, then signaled her to get close to the dock Billina and Wally helped her out of the secondary chair and carried her onto the Waillord, while Amigo folded up the chair and held onto it.

"You got hold of her?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah," Wally said, sitting with Kiri by Mandy's dorsal fin. "You ready?"

"Sure," she replied. She was tempted to make a joke about him having his arm around her waist, but decided against it.

"We're going to a cavern which should be in an outlet on the south side of the passage ahead," Billina told Mandy. "The seas are rough."

"I can handle it, don't worry," the Waillord replied. She whistled, then moved away from Slateport and dove.

The air shield of Dive appeared above her body, protecting the three humans and two land Pokemon. The sun above them gleamed through the water, but below, it was dark. The deeper they dove, the murkier it got.

Then they hit the area of rapid currents. As Kiri cast Flash, the light speckled off bits of sea dust being rushed towards Slateport. Mandy slowed, even though she was swimming as strongly as she could. Clicking every now and then to check her position, she found the southern outlet and turned that way. The Dive shield began to lean in the force of the current and to quiver with the depth they were reaching.

Mandy's shield shimmered, strengthening. "I can't maintain this depth even with Deep Dive for long," she commented. "You'll have to go in your cave and call for me when you're done."

Wally patted her fin. "We understand. She can't stay this deep with us for long."

"We're close to the cavern," Kiri replied. "I feel a rise in power up ahead."

"Can your Dive get us there?"

"I think if we're quick."

"No, it's up," Mandy told Wally. "The cave has an undersea entrance."

"Oh good."

After passing into a large underwater cavern, the Waillord rose up. She stopped before surfacing, though. "The passage is too narrow now. You're on your own."

"All right, thanks for getting us this far. We can head up now, Kiri."

"All of you ready?" When they nodded, she called ahead, "We'll be back in a bit, Wanda."

"Good luck," she replied with a wave.

Kiri cast Dive around the four of them, then lifted everyone up into the air chamber. She got them on dry rock, then waited for the others to help her back into the wheelchair. "Good, thanks. Looks like there's only one way to go."

Illuminated by Flash, the cave was chalk white, strangely smooth, and dust free. The walls were pocked by dents and grooves, but there was something off about this place. It was obviously a place of secrets, with the power it was hiding, but it was still odd. The entrance to the next chamber was a smooth long oval doorway.

"This doesn't look natural," Wally said. "But if our ancestors were the ones to use this place, it can't be completely manmade."

"If they did make it, it must have taken a long time." She rolled towards the doorway. "There's a power like Steel here; then again, isn't one of them Registeel?"

"Right, the Aquelle tribe did make him. They apparently made other Pokemon too, so they might have been able to make this."

The next chamber was even stranger. Three large screens covered three walls. The metal floor showed no signs of rust or corrosion. Two pedestals were in the room. The one in the center had two metal prongs and a sign for the Electric type. The other held a smaller screen at an angle that Kiri could look over perfectly in her position in her wheelchair.

"What's all this mean?" Wally asked, touching the metal prongs. "This seems dead, somehow."

"Let go of that; I have an idea." She summoned Fred out. "Would you hit that with Shock Wave?"

"Right-o," he replied, then struck the prongs.

A spark jumped between them and the room came to life. All four screens lit up. The left wall showed a stretch of Route 110 some ways north of Dewford. The center wall showed a southern part of the Windy Desert. The right wall showed an eastern part of the Tropius Rainforest, close to the Safari Zone. And they all showed...

"It's the stone formations," Wally said. "They were made by the Aquelle, who are also the Sinnoh outcasts who brought the Kings to Hoenn. But there's nothing there. I saw the Rainforest one myself."

"Neep!" an Unown said, popping out from behind the large pedestal.

"Neep?" another asked sleepily as it and five others also appeared.

"How are you guys always in mysterious places?" Kiri asked.

"Neep?" they asked, looking at each other.

"We're looking to awaken the Regis," Wally told them. He showed the symbol he had gotten from Ho-oh.

"Yes, that's true," Kiri added, holding up the bracelet.

"Neep!" it jerked up in the air in surprise. "Neep. Neep?"

"Neep." Another went down to the lower screen, then moved back up to the others. "Neep!"

"Neep, neep." They shifted their forms into specific letters, then arranged themselves into a seven-letter word.

"I don't know the Unown language," Wally said.

"They say 'Strength'. I know the spell, but I'm not sure about using it on any of these things."

The S Unown went, "Neep," and summoned an energy shield.

"All right, here you go." She cast Strength against the shield. It offered heavy resistance, so she forced as much out of the spell as she could until it broke. "Phew. You've got a serious test there."

"Neep!" Four of them left as the other three reshaped themselves.

Kiri looked at them, puzzled. "Fly? Fly where? Which formation?"

"Neep neep," one of the others said. The four of them spelled another word.

"Here? I guess." She brought her hand up and thought of the Fly symbols. It was odd thinking of this one spot for both, but when she released the spell... nothing happened.

Except that the Unowns cheered excitedly. They mixed themselves up again, then four spelled another word. It made her chuckle.

"What is it?" Wally asked.

"They're telling us to wait."

"Wait? But we have to help Vincent."

The Unowns shuffled themselves to relay another message.

"They say 'two minutes'. They might need to get in contact with the sleeping immortals."

"Oh, that makes sense. Okay then."

The Unowns then huddled in a group and mumbled something among themselves. Amigo drifted around for a bit, then telepathically spoke to Billina. 'I'm sorry we had to put you both in danger for this.'

Vincent was in greater danger, she thought. Then she stepped over to him and whispered, "Shouldn't you make sure there is nothing to regret should something go wrong?"

Startled, Amigo moved back. "What?! Are you serious?"

Wally looked at them curiously.

"It's just a suggestion," the Blaziken replied, then went back to sit with Kiri.

"What was that about?" Wally asked quietly when he came back over.

"Just something we've talked about before," Amigo replied. Then he put his hand on Wally's shoulder. 'You might want to ask her now.'

He gave the Gardevoir a nervous look.

'You've already asked her to do something dangerous, so we know she's a good friend. Might as well try.'

Wally looked down for a moment, then nodded. "Hey Kiri, it might be weird to ask now, but after all this, do you want to go out to eat with me sometime later?"

She looked up at him. "What, like on a date?"

"Well not really serious, but yeah..."

"Okay, sure."

"What, really?"

Kiri snickered. "What, you doubt me?"

Wally put his right hand up to his ear, feeling that he was starting to blush. "No, not that, just... I thought you'd give me a hard time or something."

She shrugged. "Nah. I know you too well for that, or else I would have said something earlier. And you don't have to be embarrassed around me."

"That might take me a while to unlearn."

Before their conversation could continue, the Unowns split up and neeped between themselves noisily. S went back to the screen and tapped it. Unown text began scrolling, leaving a message for them to decipher.

After a minute, Kiri had it. "'Please state your intentions for awakening the three Kings with honesty.' Do you want to explain?"

"Sure." He nodded to the Unowns. "We have a friend, Vincent, who's been tricked by Lokire and his assistant Missingno. I saw a vision of them not long ago... they don't care about his life, even as they are draining out of him. Lokire and Missingno have been seeking the Kings to destroy them, for they fear that a group that could stop the Emperor could stop them. We want to get Vincent out of their power."

After a moment of quiet only broken by electric crackles, Kiri added, "Another friend of ours, Steven, got killed by Lokire and used the last of his power to create a shield to trap them on Ever Grande Island. So we can't even get to Vincent unless we can prove to Steven's soul that we've got the power to stop Lokire."

"Neeeeeeep," G commented, with sorrow.

"Neep neep!" the two T Unowns said.

"Neep," S replied, then tapped the screen again. The message changed.

'The Kings have power over Rock, Steel, and Ice. Pray to them with thought to these elements and they will awaken.'

"Pray to three sleeping immortals?" Kiri said. "That's going to be a huge drain on me."

Wally put his hand to his chin, then snapped his finger. "Others can lend their power to you, right? We should bring out all our Pokemon to do this."

"That's probably best." They brought out the others, bringing the group up to twelve. "Okay everyone, I'm sure you heard that we've got a large summoning to pull off. Is everyone up to this?"

"Sure thing," Sandy said, nodding. The others agreed with her.

Being small, Fred landed on her shoulder to help. The others joined hands, or tails if that was easier, connecting them all into one whole. Then Kiri focused her magic, particularly on those three types. Only Honey had one of those types, but she thought of Steven's Steel types and Roxanne's Rock Gym to help.

She closed her eyes. "Listen if you will, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel. The devil has awakened, so we ask that you awaken as well. Wally and I are going to Ever Grande City to challenge this devil for the sake of our friend Vincent Starmie. He has been tricked, yet we hope he can still be saved. Please meet us there to break the devil's hold on him."

Three distinct powers latched hold of her, but with Wally and the Pokemon supporting her, she could handle it. Even with her eyes closed, she knew what the screens were showing. The three Kings arose from hidden chambers within the stone formations. Registeel and Regirock soon let go to ease the summoning.

Regice spoke to her telepathically. 'We honor the love of friendship and the bravery to face evil. Wizard Kiri, Shaman Wally, we are yours to command.'

"Thank you," Kiri replied. "Would you meet us at Ever Grande?"

'We will. Take this to restore your strength.' It restored their magic powers completely, then let go to head out.

She opened her eyes and looked at the rest. "They've agreed to work with us."

Wally nodded. "Right, so we must head there now. Amigo, call back Wanda and Mandy."

'Right away.' He drifted back to the other chamber to reach them better.

"You nervous?" Kiri asked.

"Of course. But for Vincent's sake, we have to do this."

* * *

_Pokenav Extra_

Legends

Ho-oh: A graceful bird the color of rainbows, Ho-oh is said to guard the Fire of Life. She is able to speak to the dead as easily as the living, and thus is often prayed to instead of Giratina to protect lost souls. Whenever she suffers a great injury, she will burn herself to ashes, and then reappear completely whole. It is said that this ash can bring someone back from the brink of death once.


	30. The Hacker and the Glitch

With an image from Wally, Kiri managed to Fly them both from Slateport to the exit of Victory Road and the entrance of Ever Grande City. The Stadium tower rose seven stories, dwarfing the houses beside it. Cold black flames were scattered on buildings and signs without burning them a bit. However, all of the plants and a few unlucky Pokemon were all dead, gray as if they had been drained of all colors with their lives.

The three Regis were there to meet them. They were like the simple carved dolls that primitive humans made, only on a giant scale. Regice appeared to be an ice sculpture, with only white mineral traces to keep one from seeing right through its body. Regirock seemed to be carved from many different pieces of rock, some left rough and beaten, some smoothed out to a polish. And Registeel especially seemed like it shouldn't have come from hundreds of years ago. Its main body was built around a metal sphere and its limbs were made by an expert hand.

Registeel put his hand to his chest; the other two followed suit. "We follow you for the sake of our homeland. What plan do you have in mind?"

"Can any of you tell where Vincent is and how he's doing?" Wally asked.

Apparently their chosen speaker, Registeel replied, "The source of power that Lokire is drawing on is the oath between his follower and your friend. All we can tell of it is that the boy is on top of the Stadium building."

Amigo looked up that way. "He is very weak, but he's holding on, as Laharl said."

"All right. My Pokemon and I are going to meet with him. We need you three to go with Kiri to distract Lokire and Missingno. Our priority is to get Vincent to safety."

"But if he breaks the oath, he cuts Lokire's power, right?" Kiri asked. "In that case, things will hopefully sort themselves out."

"Breaking that oath will break enchantments it is empowering," Registeel answered. "Loyal Guardian, I'm afraid that you will have to stay out of this battle as much as possible. Your presence will pose a danger to you and your partner."

Billina bowed her head. "I am aware of that. I entrust her safety to you." Then she retreated to her Pokeball.

"We don't believe that anyone has faced these two together," the ancient Pokemon went on. "You should be made aware that it is unlikely that we will defeat either of them now. The only one with a chance of victory is Vincent if he breaks the oath and survives. Shaman, do whatever you must in order to keep him alert. If he falls into unconsciousness, he will likely die."

"I will. Let's go talk to Steven; his ghost should be around somewhere."

There were tall gates lining the path to the Stadium and its attending town. It gave a grand welcome to those who had struggled their way through Victory Road to this, the epic finale of most journeys. But with the black flames emitting their coldness and the transformed grayness of it all, it felt forbidding. Like Death awaited them inside.

At the last gate, they found the edge of a shimmering white shield. As they approached, a faint figure appeared behind it. "You must turn back," Steven warned in a weary voice. "An evil power is trapped here. If the shield break, all of Hoenn will fall into chaos."

"We're aware of that, Steven," Kiri replied. "We brought the Kings."

"Kiri?" His image sharpened some as he looked over the group. "And Wally. You two managed to awake them?"

"The time has come for action to be swift," Registeel said. "But others are still waiting. And thus, we follow them."

Wally considered something, then stepped closer. "I claimed responsibility for Laharl's egg. I left it back at the Ranch to be safe, but I'll take care of the child."

The ghost sighed in relief. "Good. I was worried, when he came. If he feels that he can trust you with it, then so do I. So you've come for Vincent."

"Yes. We need to make him deny the devil that's overtaken him."

"In that case, I will let you inside. But may I follow you? I must find Prinny and Laharl before I can rest, but I'm too weak to make it to Mount Pyre alone."

Wally nodded. "Of course you may come."

"Then take care." He clapped his hands together and banished the shield he had created.

Quickly, Wally got onto Altaria's back. "Good luck, Kiri. And be careful."

"I will be. You too."

"Yes. Let's go." Altaria flew him up to the top of the Stadium. Sandy followed soon after with Amigo.

Kiri pushed her wheelchair through the last gate. "I haven't been here before. Where's a good place for a battle?"

Regirock pointed toward the cluster of buildings nearby. "The central area there should be suitable. They will find us."

Kiri, her Pokemon, and the three Kings entered Ever Grande itself. It was about the same size as Oldale Town, minus the Stadium. There was a hotel, several nice homes, a general store, and a central plaza. The plaza was quite large; one could hold a soccer game there if it wasn't for the stone pavement. On the other side of the plaza, there was a watch tower.

Before long, two rings of black energy swelled up in the plaza. Lokire appeared, nonchalantly sitting on the ground with his snakes hovering over his head. His color scheme for the moment was bright green with yellow markings. Missingno appeared as well, more anxious and hovering behind the devil slightly.

The master put his hands together and spoke with mocking pleasure. "Well, well, so the mighty Kings have decided to appear at last. Not only that, but they come with the stubborn little girl I met in Lilycove. You seem to be a glory-seeker after all."

Whatever they were to do, it was most important that they keep the attentions of these two. "That could be," Kiri retorted. "We're going to end your menace because everyone else is being slackers about it."

Lokire laughed heartily. "Oh, very good. I'm quite up to playing a little game right now. Passive work is necessary, but I do like a bit of action every now and then. I hope you're ready, because I am." He brought his arms up and summoned a green glow around them.

"Go for it!" Kiri called to her Pokemon, preparing her own spell.

* * *

Wally slid off Altaria's back when he landed. Once the other two were there, he said, "Okay, Sandy, Altaria, you two keep an eye out for trouble. Amigo, let's go talk to him."

"We've got you covered," Altaria said as they spread out to watch.

Vincent was slumped against an air duct, barely awake. His clothes were ragged and dirty. While he wasn't as drained as the unfortunates below, he was pale with brown bruises scattered over his skin. Wally was troubled by the contrast when he put his tanned hand over Vincent's arm. "Vincent, I'm sorry. I got scared, but I shouldn't have left you alone."

He blinked, making unsteady eye contact. "Wally? What're you doing here?"

"I came to help you. Kiri's down below with the three Kings, keeping the... you know... their attention away from us."

"Then you found them?" He smiled slightly. "Great work. I... knew I could trust you"

"It would have been a lot easier if you had been helping. You always know right where to look for information like that."

"And I figured out how to mislead them. The Kings should help... but I'm not sure what... I can't think well right now." His eyelids drooped.

Wally gripped him. "Vincent! Don't fall asleep."

"I just wanted to be noticed," Vincent mumbled. "I thought I was smart enough to handle anything. People would forget me, I thought, unless I did something great that had to be remembered. But then, I lost control and by the time I realized that I was in trouble, it was too late."

"It's not too late. You can still help fix things. You have to break your Guardian's oath."

"Break the oath? Won't that kill me? Of course, I might already be dead."

"You're not dead."

He didn't respond.

"Vincent!"

* * *

The first couple of minutes, the battle was bewilderingly fast. Missingno cast a spell to strengthen its and Lokire's defenses. Kiri did the same for her team and the Regis. Choora and Honey teamed up to send twin Psychic blasts at the devil. Samba struck Missingno with the Water Pulse he'd learned from Wallace, while Fred added a Thunderbolt to it. Mach held back and attempted to use Protect to catch any attack spells. However, the Grass-type blast that Lokire cast went right past the blue shield and hit everyone else on the plaza.

It continued like this until the three Kings combined their spells into a stunning display of teamwork. Registeel and Regirock charged up spells that Kiri could feel deep in her bones. But then they passed off that power to Regice, who transferred the magic to its own element, then struck Lokire with the triple-charged spell. It set off an amber glow, which emitted an ancient feel like the Key Cavern had.

Lokire screamed at that attack. Quickly, he wrapped two of his snakes around his body, leaving the string-master snake to cast a green shield. Numbers and Unown letters spun in this shield, making it difficult to see the devil Pokemon inside.

"Don't think you've won yet," Missingno said. "We've just started." Then he sent a gray colored bolt right at Kiri.

It didn't strike her, though. It struck her wheelchair and vaporized it, causing her to collapse onto the ground. Before she could think to move into a less vulnerable position, Billina summoned herself and picked her up. "We shall make it so that if he takes one of us, he must take us both," she whispered.

"Then he will take you both out, Billina," Missingno said. "You're a foolish Guardian for coming out in this battle."

Once she was standing up with Kiri, the Blaziken shook her head. "Am I? I know where you went wrong."

"You think you do?"

Kiri glanced over at Choora. The Alakazam nodded and closed her eyes to focus on direct translation.

When the spell activated, Kiri could understand Billina speaking behind her. "The decision of one must be the decision of both; that is what we are taught. But you took total control over one decision. It upset the balance of your magic with Nathan, and thus you experienced something worse than death. Your partner's soul was completely enslaved and you were left to madness. That is why you lost your status as a true Guardian."

"What're you talking about? Nathan was never enslaved."

"He was, from the moment Lokire killed him at Kyogre's Shrine."

Missingno's static shifted to red as his eyes narrowed. "What?! How did you hear about that? And he didn't die then; he died when the Aquelle murdered him."

"He died as he tried to protect an innocent Pokemon," Billina went on. "I'm certain that you know that Lokire's blade means death. Nathan died then, and all you had afterwards was an empty shell animated by him. And you're about to give the same fate to Vincent."

It then began shifting from yellow to red. "B-but that's not how I remember it happening! Master Lokire never hurt Nathan. It just... that can't be right. I did my job well and nothing could hurt Nathan." It hid its eyes.

"Because he was already dead."

"That can't be."

The shield around Lokire broke. His colors had shifted to tan with orange markings. "Of course it can't," he said, beginning to levitate. "She wasn't there, but you were. You know how you remember it."

"Yeah..." but it was still hiding its eyes.

Lokire swished his outer two tails, then smiled and waved at Kiri. "So you finally got her out. But you can see why it's fruitless to challenge me. I can rewrite the code of life. I can undo whatever is done and redo it however I wish. If I can get enough people to believe in me, I can reinvent the world itself."

Kiri could just have everyone fight again. But in order to keep his attention, it might be best to play along for a bit. If someone would keep an eye on Missingno...

'We're on it,' Choora told her.

She thanked the two Psychics silently, then looked at Lokire. "You can't do that. There's no power that can change things that much."

"There are such powers," he said gleefully. "Otherwise, this world wouldn't exist in the first place. Even the flow of time and space are open to manipulation and rearrangement. So long as there is belief, anything can be done."

"I don't believe that."

"Shall I demonstrate my point?" Lokire spread his arms out in a jerky circle, causing a black shimmer to encircle the plaza. "Life is a series of events that are connected through time. But what happens should one of this events changes? Say, what if your mother decided to continue dating Brawly instead of Norman?"

Kiri felt a strange sensation pulse through her body, like someone had turned her into clay and reshaped her body. When it ended, she found that she was a few inches shorter, but with a stronger build. And her hair had changed from lavender to light gray with violet shades. Billina had changed too, losing her feathers for slick waterproof skin. Now a Swampert, she let go of Kiri and dropped down on all fours. But Kiri stayed upright, as her legs were working again.

She looked over her hands; the fingers seemed to be shorter. "What, so I'd look like this?"

Lokire put his hand to his chin. "That is only one out of a myriad of possibilities. You could be a boy, if you like."

"No thanks."

"And you wouldn't have to stick with that pairing if you don't want to. Your father had other girlfriends, or other possibilities. We'd just have to look through his past and see who might have been your mother then."

The sensation hit her again, this time leaving her as a taller girl with bright pink hair down to her waist. She was wearing a red dress too, something that Kiri hadn't done since she was a little girl. Billina had somehow transformed into a Roserade. She took a strand of her hair. "Pink?"

"It might not be your color in this life, but in another, who knows? And that isn't all I'm capable of. I can give you a charmed life where everything will go your way. Everyone will adore you. You would find that anything you do comes easily. You'll never have to struggle or get hurt ever again. Just allow me to help you and everything you have wished for can come true."

Kiri shook her head, as did Billina. "No way! This isn't who I am; this isn't real!"

The black shimmer faded away. She felt herself changing once more, then nearly slipped as her paralysis returned. Billina, back to her real self, caught her before she hit the pavement again.

"It could be real," Lokire repeated.

"But it wouldn't be right," Kiri retorted. "I am who I am because of what's happened to me. Like my dad says, adversity makes you stronger. If everything just went my way for no reason, I'd be weak and foolish."

"I don't think you're getting it." Lokire brought his hands up. "I can make anything possible. There is no limit to what I can do. Believe it!"

His skin changed colors again, to various grays while his eyes went red. A ring of black flames rose around him, then shot out to strike everyone. Kiri and Billina focused and together cast the image of Blaze Kick. And the fighting started again.

* * *

Wally was having a hard time keeping Vincent's attention. At the moment, he was trying to get him to keep talking. His mind was obviously wandering as he drifted from subject to subject with no apparent purpose. "Do you have any ideas?" he asked Amigo.

The Gardevoir, who was kneeling beside them, brushed Vincent's hair back. "Try giving him Ho-oh's feather. That could be why the immortal gave us that."

"Oh right." He fished the feather out of his pocket and put it in Vincent's hands. "Here."

He took it and looked at it. "This feather... it feels odd. Warm and... happy?"

"It's from Ho-oh. Hold onto it. I think it will protect you when you break the oath."

Vicnet's eyes unfocused, as he seemed to be thinking. "The Sacred Ash is said to bring the near-dead to full life. So this... might spare me from the normal consequences of breaking an oath that powerful?"

"I think so."

'I feel that as truth as well,' Amigo added.

His head bowed down. "I'm not sure I can do it. The other is in control so often and my mind is fuzzy."

"He's not in control now, right?"

"He's not. I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"Then draw on our powers to help," Wally said. "If you go at magic alone, you won't go far. But when you let others help you, you can do more than you thought you could. That's what I've heard from the Pokemon, and that's what I've seen so far."

Vincent looked back up at him. "You still believe in me?"

Wally took his hands; Amigo placed one hand on Wally's shoulder, and the other on Vincent's. "Of course I do. I'm your friend."

He brought their hands together around the shining red feather. "I... I'll try."

* * *

Kiri struck Lokire with Thunderbolt, knocking him back into his green sphere again. Missingno was in a daze, but managed to heal itself. On their side, there was a lot more damage done. Registeel and Regice seemed to be in pain, limiting their movements and making odd humming sounds. Samba, Choora, and Mach were all unconscious. Everyone else was injured in some manner. Kiri and Billina had frost cuts that ran straight across their shoulders. Something had to happen soon, or they would be in trouble when the next round of fighting began.

The former Guardian shook off its confusion as Kiri was healing Honey of a burn. "Okay, this time you're not going to confuse me!" it snarled.

"R-A-Y, Confuse Ray!" Fred jeered as he sent a bewildering aura at Missingno.

"Hey," a female voice came from just behind Kiri.

She glanced back and saw a colorful little sprite. "Jirachi?"

"I'll handle the healing," she replied, waving her hand and sending silver bursts into the air. Whoever the burst struck was healed completely by the time Lokire broke out of his shield again.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted, sending a blast of fire at her.

Kiri managed to catch it with Protect. Jirachi tilted her head. "Joining the fight for my homeland. What did you think I was doing? Oh, and I brought a new friend along. Hope you don't mind."

The devil seemed puzzled. "A new...?"

A blur of green struck him from behind with four blindingly fast whip lashes, knocking him down on the pavement. "It's my homeland too," Deoxys said, readying both whip arms again. "So I'll do my best."

Lokire vanished, reappearing in black and white. "Why are you all helping out some foolish young Mage? She'd rather stay tied to her wheelchair than walk again."

"Because she's doing something about your threat instead of waiting for someone else to do it."

"If that's so, then fine. I'm through playing." He slashed his arms in front of each other.

Missingno screamed and collapsed onto the pavement. Lokire took that energy and created ominous black clouds to fill the plaza. Things became extremely cold.

"I'll take you all out."

Vincent gasped suddenly, leaning forward. Wally tightened his grip. "What is it?"

"Mi... Missingno is truly misguided. I think he never really wanted me harmed, but turned a blind eye to all the signs and followed Lokire's word."

"It's bad that we'll have to hurt him, if that's true. But Lokire is the one stealing your life and using it to drive Hoenn's Guardians insane. That must be stopped."

Nodding, Vincent took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The red feather fluttered in their hands. After a moment, he spoke as firmly as he could manage with his weakened state. "I break the bond I have made with Missingno. I have made a grave mistake in accepting this false Guardian; I had no desire to harm my homeland." Vincent took another deep breath, then added, "By the mercy of Arceus, Missingno has failed as my Guardian and I reject him."

A red light from Ho-oh's feather surrounded them.

* * *

The black clouds vanished in an instant. Missingno had tensed itself into a dense trembling ball of static. At first, Lokire was stunned. Then he gave a shriek of hatred and teleported the whole group up to the top of the Stadium. Sputtering black flames appeared as he glared at Vincent. "You *******! You will live, but you will be cursed!"

Groudon and Kyogre appeared on the rooftop, while Rayquaza hovered overhead. "You are the ******* around here, Lokire," Groudon said.

"And we've finally nailed you to one place, thanks to these teens and the Kings," Kyogre added.

Rayquaza hissed bitterly as he smashed his tail into Lokire, narrowly missing Billina, Kiri, and Regirock. "You've tried to make us ruin the lands we protect. We will make you pay by ripping you apart limb from limb!"

Lokire nearly cussed them out, but then looked over the crowd. The Earth and Sea Pokemon were both staring at the Sky Dragon. "Uh, Rayquaza?" Kyogre asked, uncertainly.

"Aren't you supposed to be the peacekeeper around here?" Groudon continued.

"I don't ******* care anymore. I haven't got a wink of sleep for over a year and I won't get any until I make sure that he suffers for every single day that I have."

Lokire growled softly, then vanished.

"*******," the dragon muttered.

Groudon and Kyogre gave each other a quick glare. But then the former yawned. "I'd forgotten what it's like to be within a physical form. I'm not too sure I like it."

"True," Kyogre said. "I'd prefer to go back to sleep and continue acting in spiritual form."

"We agree," Registeel said. "We have served the purpose we have been called for, so we are going back to our places. You have our permission to call us individually with that bracelet, should such a need come again."

"You'd better set everything right," Rayquaza growled. "Then sleep where you choose. I'm sure no one will argue against it. Hell, my head hurts from flying constantly all year."

"I'd better go with you," Jirachi said, kindly patting his snout. "Deoxys, why don't you take them to Mount Pyre to reset the orbs? You can probably handle Kiri better than Billina can."

"Alright," he replied.

"But the orbs shattered," Vincent said.

"You can replace them. Giratina asked you do so, right?"

"He did," Kiri said.

"Right then. Come on, Rayquaza, let's make sure you get some sleep."

They all left, banishing the black flames on their way out.

* * *

There was a storm of ghosts around Mount Pyre. Steven's form became easier to see. "Prinny, Laharl?" he called.

'Up the mountain,' Fred replied.

"Right, thanks." Wally and Kiri, carried by Deoxys, followed Steven's ghost up to the shrine at the peak. Laharl was sitting by Prinny, who was sobbing. Steven smiled. "There you are!"

The Empoleon jerked to attention, then rushed over. "Steven! I've found you." The two of them laughed, even as they still had tears coming from their eyes. Their souls became bright, turning blue and red.

As the light formed into glass orbs, Laharl came over to them. "Thank you for reuniting us. Now, call forth the Guardian of the Dead." His soul turned white, then green, making a third orb.

"Those are like the sacred orbs that have kept this place holy for generations," Wally said.

"I guess we need to pray to Giratina now to make sure these ones stay. Come here."

"We?" Vincent asked in a weary voice.

"There's three orbs, we'll need three people to do this. Come on."

"We can do this," Wally said.

Kiri held out her hands. The boys each took one, then each other's Once she felt that they were all focused (in Vincent's case, as focused as he could be), she started the prayer.

"Giratina, Master of the Afterlife, please come to this sacred place. The orbs have been reformed and we need your blessing upon them to calm the souls of the dead so they may continue their final journey. Please, we ask you to complete the peace of Hoenn."

She was answered with an unearthly howl. It was eerie; she had once heard an Umbreon howling in praise to the moon and this sounded like that. It was a sound that sent chills down her spine, but at the same time assured her that this was a call of peace and sanctuary. As it filled the air, the souls of Mount Pyre quieted.

Then Giratina appeared above the shrine. He grasped the orbs with telekinesis and gave them an otherworldly sparkle. "Lost souls, your path is open," he called out. "If your heart is calm, seek the path now."

The souls responded by rising from the mountain. When the three teenagers looked up, they saw a glittering white path heading towards Sootopolis. Many of the souls went to the path that ended at the Cave of Origin. Everyone would end up on that path someday.

"I thank you all from the depths of my heart," Giratina said to them. "Your land has been restored to what it was before Lokire appeared. But you three, there is no way for me to change you back. You must now proceed with your lives. Live them to the fullest, for you never know when you will truly fall under my power."

With that, he retreated back to his realm.


	31. Begin Again

Vincent wasn't responding well. Sometimes he noticed visitors, but other times he stared blankly ahead. Even when he was able to notice others, his mind seemed to be working slowly.

Perhaps worse, he repulsed people. Others felt uneasy around him. His own parents couldn't recognize him. But they still believed that he had drowned over a year ago. Somehow, that was easier for them to deal with then believing that he had come under the power of the devil. Lokire's curse, it seemed, gave him an aura like the Shadow Pokemon. His two friends were able to ignore it, but other people found it a reason not to trust the boy. They thought he was faking his condition.

The elves worked on him despite that, although one said, "I feel like if I turn my back on him, he is going to attack me or something. One part of my mind says that he is in no condition to do so, but I still do not want to spend more time than I have to around him."

His two friends visited at least once a day. "The League is opening Ever Grande back up to challengers this weekend," Wally said. "Kiri's going to be there, of course." He chuckled. "She said that if she wins, I'm buying her dinner. I asked her why and she said because I'm her boyfriend. I would anyhow, but.."

"You are?" Vincent asked, the first thing he'd said all hour.

"Buying her dinner? Of course I am."

"No. Her boyfriend."

"Oh, that. Yeah, pretty much. I mean, we've only been on one date so far. Although, Amigo seems a little too happy for me. I think he has a thing for one of her Pokemon."

The Gardevoir blushed. "What? Oh, no, I'm just happy for you, that's it. That's all."

Wally chuckled. "If that was it, you wouldn't be talking so much trying to deny it."

He put his hands over his face. "Oh geez, am I being obvious again? It's nothing, at least, nothing to worry about."

"It's okay, Amigo," he said, smiling. But the smile got lost when he looked back at Vincent. His expression was as dead as always. And his eyes, which had turned gray, show no signs of life either.

There was a knock at the door. "Hey, can I come in?" Kiri called.

"Sure thing," Wally said. "It's just us, as usual."

"Who gave you this little bush?" she asked as she rolled up to the hospital bed. "It's a cute little thing, but an odd gift."

Vincent looked over the floral scented bundle of leaves, then shook his head. "I don't know. When did it come in?"

"Boo," the bush said. A small white head with two pink flowers for ears appeared. "I snuck in, of course."

"Huh? What're you?"

She laughed. "I'm Shaymin, silly. You've found a cunning use of my Sweet Scent spell. I've been waiting for a chance to say hi."

Kiri smiled. "I see. Nice to meet you; it's been a good spell."

Shaymin hopped onto Vincent's hospital bed. "Yup. People underestimate the influence of flowers. Also, I'd like to help with you, Vincent. It was a tough decision, breaking a magical bond and losing all your ability at magic."

"I had to," Vincent replied. "Or else I would no longer be."

"True. I think you deserve a fresh start. You can still go far and do great deeds as a Wizard someday. However, you also need help getting rid of this Shadow curse. It unfairly repulses people from you as well as most Guardians. In fact, I could only find one with a large enough heart to forgive you and take you in."

"You found me a new Guardian?"

"Yes, one that will be born from your trapped emotions." Shaymin closed her eyes. "Gentle Guardian, come forth to guide your partner down a new path."

A light blue orb appeared. The center turned pink, which then grew into a small heart-shaped fish. The Luvdisc cooed and swam in the air to peck Vincent on the cheek. "I shall help you, truly, truly," he said.

"A Luvdisc." Vincent touched his new Guardian. Through the blank look on his face, his eyes seemed puzzled.

"I like them," Shaymin said. "They have a secret ability that hardly anyone notices. But I don't mind sharing it with you. Their secret is this: their hearts are so powerful that they can never be turned to Shadows. They may also be able to heal a Shadow curse with just their presence over time, but for that, we shall have to see."

"Huh. We shall see."

"What're you going to name him?" Kiri asked. "Naming a Guardian is important."

"Yes." He looked at the Luvdisc for a minute. "Begin again. Finnegan, begin again. Your name is Finnegan."

"A name with a rhyme!" Finnegan cheered, and snuggled close.

"Then best of luck to you and Finnegan," Shaymin said. "Good journeys to you." She bounded out the window.

* * *

Missingno could hardly believe that it had escaped with its life. Between the raging Rayquaza and the bitterly vengeful Lokire, it should have been destroyed after Vincent broke their oath. But no. It was still alive.

"Or am I?" it whispered to the silent lake. "Was I destroyed at Kyogre's Shrine? Have I been insane all along? Have I always been alone? Why did this have to happen to me?"

The stars shone brightly overhead with no moon to compete with them. On an island of rubble, a brilliant red fire burned despite the surroundings of water. Traces of something must remain, or else the fires would have died out after seven hundred years. Missingno remained, but the flames wouldn't touch him.

He reached out to the flames. "Nathan..."

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Most of the chapters have these Pokenav entries for flavor, explaining bits and piece that don't entirely fit in the narrative. But it's mostly fun trivia on this AU world.


End file.
